


Blood moon

by UpInOrbit



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Character Death, Happy Ending, M/M, Magical setting, Mentions of Blood, Mentions of Death, Rating May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2019-10-21 19:29:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 32,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17648549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UpInOrbit/pseuds/UpInOrbit
Summary: It's common knowledge that anyone born under a blood moon is not to be trusted, but when there's a prophecy announcing the coming of dark ages and the fall of the kingdom should a baby be born during the next blood moon, the people know what their duty is. It's to terminate the threat before it begins, or to be killed.Ten knows he's living in borrowed time, and he's determined to prove he deserves it, but when death and disease take over the kingdom, maybe it's a sign he's not, after all. There's only a chance to repair the damage, will it be enough?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! This was supposed to be posted next week but things happened and so here I am. It's a project that's both thrilling and scary, as it's been a long time since I last wrote anything like this, but I do hope you enjoy it!  
> Please do take into account that all that's portrayed is fictional and if anybody shows up in the story is because I really appreciate the real person, and if some characters do some questionable things, it in no way reflects what I think of them, and it's only for the sake of the story. The rating may change because I'm unsure of how it'll turn out, but it's better to be safe than sorry.  
> I'll try to update as often as possible, but I can't make any promises, as it heavily depends on my workload, but I do assure you I have no intention of abandoning it! Now I'll shut up and leave you to read it ^^

_When blood taints the night sky_

_He who shouldn't graze the Earth will breath_

_Him or the kingdom, only one will prevail_

_When the moon comes full cycle_

_Then one of two will met an end_

That was what had been said. The words that had poisoned their souls with fear. The words that had made the villagers throw out a pregnant woman to the streets, their fear stronger than their compassion. She had pleaded for help, cried, banged on their doors, but they had turned their backs to her, their hearts as closed to her begging as their houses were to her.

She had prayed to the stars and the moon, the river and forest, she had prayed to her sisters that she wouldn’t give birth, not then, not like that. But she knew, deep in her bones, that the pain was going nowhere, that she wouldn’t be able to outrun it. Already, she could feel it’s shadow looming over her.

Still, she tried. In the dark of the night, the wolves threatening to close in, she delved into the depths of the forest, trying to get away, trying to shield herself from the blood moon that had turned into her undoing. She went on, trusting her legs to carry her away from the village, wiping her eyes when the tears threatened to spill. For her baby and sisters, for herself, she’d survive, and prove the villagers they had been wrong.

She was proud and strong and determined, yet the pain proved itself to be too much as she fell to her knees, unable to get back up. Sobbing, she tried to crawl somewhere, anywhere, until her bleeding hands and split fingertips couldn’t take her any further. She was crying under the full moon when the real pain started, and she couldn’t keep herself from screaming.

That was how he found her, surrounded by blood and dirt, her brows soaked in sweat, her face wet with tears. He had followed her agony, as it pained him from the inside out, wishing to help relieve her suffering. Instead, he fell to his knees when he saw her, pale, so pale, and yet smiling at the tiny baby in her arms, a baby that turned it’s face to her as if recognising her as it’s mother.

“He’s perfect” her voice was hoarse from the screaming, but still he could still the wonder, the love, directed at the creature in her arms. “Look at him, he’s perfect”.

And he wanted to do that. He wanted to help that poor woman, take her and her baby to his hut, but the moon above them was a silent warning, and already he could see the life seeping out of her body, as if giving birth to that tiny baby had been far too much for her. He knew what had to be done.

He stood up, every movement as painful as if he had been stabbed, as if he were dying, and maybe he should be, for after what he was about to do, he’d deserve nothing else. Slowly, he took the baby away from her, wrapping his coat around him to protect him from the cold, making sure the locket around his neck didn’t fall to the ground. She looked at him and she smiled but she must have seen something in his face because suddenly she wasn’t smiling any longer. Suddenly her face contorted with fear and shock and betrayal and she tried to take her baby back, but she was weak, exhaustion from giving birth catching up with her, and he was out of her reach before she could even grab his clothes.

“No!” she screamed, trying to stand up, her arms giving up under herself. “Don’t do this! Please, don’t do this! Taeil!” she screamed in rage when she saw him, unmoving. “Give him back!”

“I’m so sorry but you know I can’t do that” he hated himself as he spoke, but he knew there was no other choice. It was the correct thing to do. “I can’t let the whole kingdom suffer because of him”.

“I’ll take him away, he won’t be a threat! He’s just a baby, please don’t do this!” her voice broke, both from the pain and the toll giving birth had taken on her throat. “He’s just a baby, he’s harmless, please don’t do it, I’ll take him away, I promise!”.

Taeil closed his eyes and his heart at the sight of her tears.

“You’re dying. I can’t heal you and you’re dying, you can’t take him anywhere. The villagers know you’re here, they know he’s alive, you can’t take him”.

She was shaking her head, painstakingly so, her every breath a tremendous effort. Her eyes were glazed over. Taeil knew it’d be over soon.

“I’m so sorry” he said, even if he knew she couldn’t hear him.

“I came to you for help… You can’t… You can’t kill my baby… My baby… Please, my baby”.

Taeil stood there, a prayer of his lips, as she stopped breathing, as the life fled her body and she was there, limp, unmoving, blind and deaf to everything around her. Carefully, he closed her eyes, which were blankly staring at the blood moon above her. He chanted words that had long since been forgotten and stood by her until there was nothing left except for burning ashes, scattered by the wind. He wanted to say something, send a prayer for her soul, but words refused to leave his mouth, as if they knew there was nothing they could that would ease what Taeil had just done. What he had yet to do.

Holding the baby close to his heart, he walked back to his hut, dreading what he was about to do. The old wooden door groaned as he opened it and swiftly closed it behind them, to prevent what little heat was left from escaping. With the uttermost care, he placed the child on his only table.

“Careful, Hyunjin. He’s only just been born”.

The cinnamon cat looked back at Taeil from where she had hoped onto the table. Her attention soon returned to the baby in front of her, her big eyes staring right at him. The baby didn’t seem distressed by her proximity, even as she cautiously nosed at him and the locket, so Taeil turned around, walking straight to the trunk he kept by his bed.

As soon as he opened it, his eyes caught sight of what he had been looking for. He wished he could stop his hands from trembling, wished he could turn back in time, wished he could just run away, but it was him against destiny, and a single man couldn’t hope to stand a chance against the universe. He saw the blood in his hands like it was really there, and there was nothing else he wanted more than erase that image, but he knew it was pointless. It didn’t matter what path he chose, there was no escaping it. He could only choose between the lesser of two evils. 

Taeil was startled by the sudden warmth against his calves and found Hyunjin wrapped around his legs. Smiling, he bent down to take her in his arms, caressing her head as she purred.

“Thank you for the confort, old friend, but this is something not even you can solve”.

The cat looked at him with her bright greenish eyes before jumping out of his arms, and onto the open trunk. She sat in a corner, and pawed at the object in it, pushing it closer to Taeil. It was sleek and shiny, as long as his forearm, and Taeil hesitated for a second before grabbing it. He spun the dagger between his fingers, watching his own reflection on the blade, and sighed, closing his eyes in surrender.

Dragging his body back to the table was proved to be a titanic effort, his feet rooted to the floor, refusing to take him where he was supposed to be. But there was only so much he could stall before he had no choice but to accept his responsibilities and soon he was in front of the table, a dagger in his hand and a tiny baby blinking sleepily at him.

Hyunjin hopped on the table beside the child, silent confort for her owner, as he tried to blink away the tears that threatened to spill. His hands were shaking uncontrollably, as he raised his hands, the dagger poised right above the baby. 

The blade glinted under the soft light of the hearth as Taeil stood there, steeling himself.

He took a breath, once, twice, as many as needed to calm his heart, enough for him to swallow the lump in his throat. He thought of the prophecy, of the Moon, tainted red by the blood that was going to be spilled. He thought of the people who were going to die, the death that would take over the kingdom, the disaster he could prevent, that he could stop even before it started.

His arms quivered from the strain as he lowered them with all the force he could muster, so hard the wooden table splintered. There were childish cries and screams then, that Taeil tried to ignore, tried to turn himself deaf to. 

His mind was filled with images of a woman who had come to him in dire need of help, who had trusted him, only to meet her end alone in a dark forest. He thought of a baby, a newborn, small and fragile, so incapable of hurting anyone, doomed even before it’s own birth. He thought of a town, superstitious enough to throw a pregnant woman to the streets, who would come hunting for the baby as soon as the moon was out from the skies.

“What am I going to do, Hyunjin?” He sobbed.

His familiar looked at him, unblinking, before returning her attention to the dagger, and then looking back at him. Tears fell down Taeil’s cheeks. There was something akin to pain and understanding, and something else Taeil couldn’t identify, in Hyunjin’s eyes as she stared right at him.

Resting his arms on the table, he took deep breaths until he sobered up. He then stood straight and dislodged the dagger from the table. He looked at the baby in front of him, his eyes a red so deep, it seemed almost black. A baby who’d known only pain since he had been born, that would only know pain if he were to live on. A baby with no name, he realised. Hastily, he thought of a name, the only thing he could give him. It came to him and he mouthed it, felt the weight of it on his mouth and decided it was the one. Ten, would be his name, Ten, for the time he and his mother had spent together.

Taking a deep breath, he changed the grip on the dagger.

“Please, forgive me for this” he breathed, unable to control his own tears. Not even he knew whom he was asking for forgiveness, as there was none to be given.

The blade glinted once more under the dim light and soon, there were no sounds to break the deafening silence.

The next day, contrary to what Taeil had believed, no one scouted the forest looking for a baby. None of the villagers were fit to go into them, too shaken up by the blood moon to do anything but huddle together in their homes. 

The next morning, any thought of the pregnant woman had disappeared from everyone’s minds, overshadowed by the news of the birth of the Crown prince. The monarchs had announced it, the queen, pale and shaken, having just come out of labour, as they showed the baby boy to the people. The news had spread quickly, and it turned into a day of joy and celebration.

By the time anyone remembered the woman and her child, or thought to look for them in the hut of the strange man who lived in the forest, there was no trace of them. The only sign anyone had ever lived in the hut was the empty trunk, and the dark stain of blood on the table. That day, too, turned into one of joy and celebration.

If anyone saw the stirred soil by the back garden, no one bothered to come near it, much less disturb it. And so, the only sign anyone had ever lived in the hut was an empty trunk, a blood-stain and a cinnamon cat buried deep beneath the earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of the first chapter (and for those who might have thought about it, yes, that was a Loona reference, couldn't help myself). I hope you've enjoyed this and I'll try to be here soon with more!  
> Comments and kudos warm my heart <3 Have a nice week!
> 
> [tw](https://twitter.com/monstaruniverse) || [cc](https://curiouscat.me/Val_99)
> 
> \- Val


	2. Chapter 2

The Sun was shining in the sky, and while it was not too early in the morning, it's heat was almost unbearable. The air was stale inside the circle, the people that formed it stopping any possible breeze from coming in and cooling their scorching skin. Ten wiped the sweat and dirt off his brow with his arm, his eyes never leaving his opponent's form. He was half crouched, as tight as a bow string, his weight supported by the tip of his toes. 

Yukhei feinted, pretending to go for Ten's left side and he almost fell in his strap, giving half a step before reigning himself in. Yukhei smiled mischievously. 

"You need more practice" he said with a singsong voice. "You have been spending too much time in the castle, Ten".

Before he had even stopped talking, in an attempt to catch Ten off guard, Yukhei launched himself forward, his sword a blur as he moved it against Ten's who, having seen it coming, stepped out of the way, bringing his own sword to clash against the other's. They stayed like that for a couple of seconds, each of them fighting to get the upper hand, until their momentum separated them once again.

They circled each other cautiously, alert to even the barest of movements.

"And yet you can't win against me" Ten tutted, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "I think it's you the one who need's more practice".

Yukhei opened his mouth to reply but Ten, expecting it, was already moving, raising his sword to the other's stomach. He failed, though, as Yukhei was already waiting for him, blocking his hit with own blade. Their swords clashed, making them both grunt by the force of the impact. Ten tried to retreat but Yukhei was already lurching forward, swinging his sword against Ten. He managed to duck, the sword a hair's breath from Ten's head. 

The force he had used had made Yukhei lose his balance and Ten used that to his advantage, throwing himself at him. The taller one managed to recover but not enough to avoid the sword clashing against his wrist. They were just practice swords, but no matter how blunt those might have been, the blow still made Yukhei yelp in pain. It wasn't enough to make him drop the weapon, but almost.

Ten smiled with glee at the indignant look Yukhei shot him. A quick glance was enough to see the area was already turning red.

"Want me to kiss it better?" he mocked. Yukhei opened his mouth to reply.

"Ten!" he immediately turned towards the gruff voice calling his name, ignoring Yukhei and the disappointed chorus of exclamations around him. "Come as soon as you can, we have to go the city" Ten nodded in response, even if he knew it wouldn’t be seen from where the other one was standing, and returned his attention to Yukhei. He smiled apologetically.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" His friend sighed, abandoning his fighting stance, something like resignation etched to his features.

"I have to. I'm sorry" and he truly was.

"Can't you wait until we finish?" Ten shook his head, even if he knew Yukhei was already aware of what his response would be.

"You heard it, it's important”. Even if it had been phrased as an invitation, all of them knew it had been an order, to be followed without delay.

"This is also important!" Yukhei stomped his foot on the floor, crossing his arms like a child, a pout on his lips in mock annoyance, and Ten grinned in response.

"I promise you we will finish this the next time. Besides, you and I both know I was going to win, be grateful you can keep what's left of your pride intact!" he shouted over his shoulder as he left the patio, muscling his way out of the massive circle that had gathered around them to watch the fight. 

He felt more than saw the rude gesture Yukhei did in response and smiled to himself. It was at times like that when he truly appreciated just how good-natured the younger was. It took him a while to get to the other side of the patio and leave his sword, as it seemed every man in it wanted to congratulate Yukhei on the match, or at least pat him in the back. Ten got less than a couple passing glances as he hurried to Taeil's workroom, where he knew they'd be waiting for him.

As soon as he entered it, a shirt was thrown in his general direction, almost hitting his face.

"Clean yourself up, we're leaving immediately" was the command.

Nodding, he obeyed, changing into some clean clothes, after wiping the sweat and dirt off his body.

"What's happening? Where's Taeil?" he asked, approaching the table at the center of the room. 

It wasn't a very luxurious one, but it contained everything they needed to do their work: three tables and some chairs, the walls covered in shelves that held everything they needed, and there was still enough space left for all of them to move comfortably around, without disturbing each other. At that moment, Taeyong was going from one side to another, his cape flapping behind him, throwing everything into his brown battered bag, while his cat watched them closely from the windowsill.

"I don't know. Taeil sent word for us through a soldier. He said he was in need of our assistance, and he would wait for us down at the city. We will get the horses and meet him there".

Ten nodded, finishing buttoning the shirt, making sure his pendant was tucked safely in it. 

"Do you know where we have to go?" he looked at Taeyong as he grabbed his own tools and sketching book.

"The soldier is waiting for us, he will lead us to Taeil".

Ten hummed in response, waiting at the corridor while Taeyong closed the door behind them. They walked in silence up the stairs, until Ten mustered his courage.

"Do you think it's...?" his voice died when they crossed paths with a young servant girl. He threw her a smile, but she didn't seem to notice. Taeyong waited until they turned the corner and left the girl behind to respond.

"I don't know. I hope not. We have enough problems as it is" he muttered, more to himself than to Ten. 

None of them said anything else until they reached the front entrance of the castle. Taeyong walked directly to where a man was standing beside three horses, all fully saddled, causing Ten to frown.

"It will be easier to carry the bags and move around with them" Taeyong said, reading Ten's question on his face. Ten wasn't particularly convinced, given that it was one of the busiest days of the week, but he followed Taeyong's lead. The soldier didn't even look at them as they got on the horses, only waiting for them to be ready before motioning his own forward.

They moved in silence, staying as close together as they could. There was a slight breeze blowing outside the castle, cooling Ten's skin as they rode into the city. As he had suspected, the streets were full, with people coming from different places to make the most out of the market placed at the central square. The horses could barely move without hitting anyone and while he could see Taeyong's fingers twitching with impatience and he himself was feeling restless, he was glad Taeyong wasn't one to use his authority or power to just push everyone aside.

It had been a long time since he had last left the castle and had gone into the city in anything other than a rush, and a part of him secretly marveled at the fact that the city was still there, no apparent changes visible. With everything that was going on, with how volatile Ten felt sometimes, seeing the city not change was nothing short of a wonder, like, no matter what happened or what should fall upon them, the city would still be left standing, like it had already been standing a thousand years before. People came and went, lives started and ended within a heartbeat, but the city was still there, and it would still be there when they were nothing more than dust, their names long forgotten.

It was the biggest city in the kingdom and it showed, people coming from every corner of the territory to try and find a job, to try and have a better shot at life. It was crowded, and dirty most of the time, it's oldest buildings still somewhat regal, even with the grime that covered some of them. Ten had seen many different places as a kid, and yet, the city was one of his favourites. It might not have been the best, but he could always count on seeing something new, some detail he had missed before, and with people going and leaving almost every week, it was easy to learn of different places, get the news from the countryside. Sometimes, most times, those news didn't speak of a rosy future, but Ten very much preferred to know what awaited for them than to hole up in the castle, ignoring the way the world spun and carried on, even without them.

"We probably should have left the city walls, it would have been faster" he observed when he saw where they were headed.

"Maybe. I'll take it into account next time" was Taeyong's response. The soldier did not bother to look back.

Soon after, they arrived to their destination. It wasn't difficult to spot it, even without the soldier pausing in front of the building, not with the guards that surrounded it's entrance. Ten frowned. It was a rather small building, it's walls thin and chipped, to be expected of a building in such a poor zone of the city, full of beggars and people who'd do anything for a couple of coins. It was hard to even get into those areas, not without being followed by a crowd of children, their tiny fists closing around their capes. 

Ten was used to going there, Taeil and him often being called, and they were well known around there, even respected. However, never once had he been there and seen so little people, not even when they were called in the dead of the night. That was no ordinary call, made obvious by the handful of guards whose orders appeared to be to keep everyone at bay. Everyone respected that, no one asking for answers and that was what sent a shiver down Ten's spine, convinced there was something bad going on. He prayed to the skies it wasn't as bad as he thought.

Hurrying, he followed Taeyong, who had gotten off the horse and was walking towards the door. Carrying his bag carefully, Ten pushed the door and entered the building after Taeyong. Inside, only Taeil was to be found, kneeling beside something on the floor. It took Ten a while to become used to the scarce light, but when he did, he sucked in a breath, shocked, for Taeil was crouched beside a human body.

The room was small, with barely any space to move with three grown men and a body in it, so Ten maneuvered until he was standing beside Taeil, with Taeyong kneeling in front of them. Up close, he could see why Taeil had called them, giving no details to the soldier: it was the body of a young woman, but no one would have said that at first sight. Her cheeks were hollow, like someone had carved out all of the tissue, leaving only caverns in their wake. Her eyes were devoid of colour, the irises blending in with the pupil, in a white so pure it seemed snow. In contrast with her white eyes, the tips of her fingers, her ears and lips looked black, like they were starting to rot. Her skin, paper thin, was stretched tight over her bones, looking so fragile that even a gust of wind would be able to make her crumble. What was the most horrific, however, was her expression, her death having frozen it like it had been during her last moments, her lips pulled over her teeth, head turning away from her aggressor, features contorted with fear. Had she been a statue, viewers would have been astounded by how vivid it was, how her body twisted in an effort to get away, her fingers curved into claws, fear and terror captured in it’s algid moment. Her being not a statue but a corpse, made Ten feel sick to his stomach, unwilling to face whatever it had been that had caused that.

"Do you need to go out?"

Taeil's voice brought him down to Earth again, serving as an anchor, and Ten found breathing a little easier. He didn't trust himself to speak yet, though, but he nodded. Taeil hummed in response and returned his attention to the corpse of that poor woman. With shaky fingers, Ten started sketching the scene. A quick look at Taeyong was enough to see that he, too, seemed worried, his brows furrowed in concentration, but in better shape than Ten himself. Taeil appeared to be fine, but he had been there the longest.

"What do you think happened to her?" his voice was barely a whisper, but it didn't break, and for that he was grateful.

Taeyong and Taeil exchanged glances.

"This looks like magic" Taeil murmured and Ten's fingers came to a halt. He looked up, alarmed, and found Taeyong already staring at him, sympathy in his eyes.

"What kind of magic does this?" their voices were the only things to break the silence around them and Ten hoped no one overheard them, hoped no word left that room, fearful of what might happen if it did.

"Only the darkest kind" Taeyong's gentle voice was unusually hard when he spoke. "Ten, give me some of your herbs, it doesn't matter which one, and don’t touch the body” he demanded.

Taeil's body went rigid at that.

"Do you think...?" Taeil didn't need to finish his question, not with how Taeyong looked at him. "That's impossible, that knowledge was lost, you can't be serious" there was urgency and nervousness in his voice and a hint of despair. Ten finished rummaging through his bag, finding what he was looking for. Wordlessly, he handed it to Taeyong.

“For our sake, Taeil, let’s hope I'm wrong".

Silently, Taeyong unpacked the herbs, grabbing a handful of the rosemary. He took a deep breath before leaning forward and gently letting it fall onto the woman's face. For a moment, nothing happened and Taeyong sagged in relief, but then the rosemary started moving and curling into itself. The tips of the leaves blackened and soon the disease had extended until there was nothing green left, leaving in it's place a black so deep it seemed to absorb the light around it. Ten thought that was it but then Taeil pointed at it with a trembling hand and Ten knelt beside him, just to see how the plants were quickly turning to ash, consuming itself. The entire process couldn't have lasted for more than a couple minutes, but by the time it was finished, there was nothing left that proved that the rosemary had ever been there.

"What does this mean? Taeil?" but Taeil's words had left him, as he stared vacantly at the corpse.

"It means something bad is coming, Ten”, Taeyong sounded defeated, and somehow, that was what terrified Ten the most.

His mind was brimming with questions but before he could ask them, the door opened wide, banging against the wall and startling the three of them. They jumped to their feet, instinctively drawing away from the corpse as they turned towards the room entrance. There, leaning onto the doorjamb, was a soldier, covered in sweat, panting. He was a young one Ten had often seen around the castle, just recently promoted. He must have come down running looking for them, and was then incapable of speaking. Ten would have pitied the boy, but he had a bad feeling, his restlessness growing the longer the boy took to speak.

"What is it?"

The soldier's eyes settled briefly on him and recognition shone in them. Recognition, and fear. 

“The castle…” he said, his breath ragged. “A-attack… The prince…”

Ten had once fallen into a pond as a kid. He hadn’t been the best of swimmers and before he could swim back to land, the water had engulfed him, dragging him to the bottom. It hadn’t mattered how much he had trashed and kicked, how hard he had tried to swim back to the surface, because the water was stronger, was everywhere, and he was hopeless against it. There had been a second, when he had stopped fighting, that he had found utter calmness at the bottom of that pond, as the darkness closed in. He had never encountered such calmness, such a lack of feeling, after it, not until that very moment. Everything had gone dark. Distantly, he could hear Taeyong’s voice, a tangle of words of which he couldn’t make sense, nothing against the pounding sound of his heartbeat in his ears.

It lasted for a moment, it lasted forever. But just like when he had been a child, it came crashing down and he was pulled to the surface, regaining his senses, kicking and trashing and fighting and living. 

He was on his feet, running towards the door, before they could stop him. He shoved the young soldier to the side, pushed everyone that dared to come in his path out of the way, his attention zeroing in on the castle and the prince that lived in it.a

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! I promise I'll be back as soon as I can but I can't promise you it will be next week because it will depend on my uni workload, though I'll try to make it as regular as possible ^^
> 
> [tw](https://twitter.com/monstaruniverse) || [cc](https://curiouscat.me/Val_99)
> 
> \- Val


	3. Chapter 3

"I still think this isn't necessary" Kun insisted.

Ten sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He shot Kun an exasperated look as he pushed himself off the wall and walked towards him.

"You're the Crown Prince, it _is_ necessary".

Kun frowned at Ten when he sat beside him on the bench, before returning his attention to the two people in front of them, one tall and one small, both of them holding bows in their hands.

"That does not mean I'm not completely useless! I can take care of myself and you know that" Ten wanted to scoff at the indignation in Kun's voice.

"You still need protection" he gently replied, even if it was the umpteenth time they had that exact same conversation.

"I have you" Ten looked up, locking gazes with Kun for a moment, a moment when his heart stopped beating, before his attention shifted elsewhere. "I don't need anything else".

Ten gulped, feeling his skin too tight all of a sudden.

"There was an attack just yesterday, Kun. You can't take that lightly".

"No one..."

"Don't you dare finish that sentence. They didn't succeed because you changed your plans last minute. We're lucky your brother didn't get hurt".

Ten doubted he'd ever be able to forget that day. Even if he got old to the point he’d forget his own life, his name, he was sure he'd still be able to recall every little detail of that run through the city and up the hill, barreling through the castle, looking for Kun, fearing the worst had happened, and he hadn't been there to stop it. He didn't think he'd ever be able to forget the sinking feeling, the despair that had swept over him when he had heard of the attack, nor did he think he'd ever forget the relief when he'd seen Kun, surrounded by soldiers and healers, but alive and well, holding his brother tight. 

They had been lucky, so lucky, that none of them had been hurt, that the attacker was prepared to encounter Kun but not his brother, small and lithe, who, when faced with the armed man, had done what Ten had instructed him to do: turn away and run, run towards safety, towards whoever could help him. There had been no trace of the man when the soldiers had gone to search for him, the only sign left of the attack being the indent in one of the trees in the garden, just where the sword would have met the Crown's Prince neck, had he not forgotten his cape in his room.

"Do you think I don't know?" Kun muttered through gritted teeth, nervously twisting his hands. "If something had happened to him, Ten... I... I don't think I would have returned from that" his voice was a whisper, barely audible above the cries and laughter coming from his brother.

Ten intertwined their fingers in sympathy, ignoring the bolt of electricity that went through him when Kun squeezed his hand. He knew what Kun meant. Losing Kun would be like losing himself, something he only allowed himself to think about during his darkest times, his lowest moments, to fuel himself to carry on. Losing Hendery, however, would be like losing a part of his soul, the part of him that was happy and bright, the one he took solace in. Ten didn't want to think about what might have happened had Hendery gotten hurt, much less if he had died.

Finding Hendery shaking and scared in his brother's arms had been bad enough. He thanked the skies the most he had had to do was spend the night with Kun and Hendery, until the latter had fallen asleep, confident in the knowledge that nothing would happen with both of them watching over him.

"Still, a competition, Ten? Isn't that a bit too much?" Kun smiled, a forced one, no dimples in sight. Ten shrugged in response.

"You know Taeyong. He's a bit too much" Kun snorted and leaned towards Ten, resting his head in the crook of his neck. Ten tried to ignore its weight, the feeling of Kun's hair against his skin, and he focused on his breathing, on keeping his breath steady, no matter how hard it was. "But I do think it's not such a bad idea”.

Ten felt on his skin the breath Kun let out.

"Explain yourself" he mumbled, moving around searching for a more comfortable position, ignoring the way Ten held himself utterly still.

"You need protection, Kun. I know you don't want to admit it, but you're the Crown prince, and I… We, the kingdom, need you. This competition may be the best way to ensure you have the most qualified people defending you".

"Shouldn't my opinion, as Crown Prince and future king, matter, then? Shouldn't I be able to choose whomever I want to protect me?" Kun had been rising his voice inadvertently, and when Hendery looked at them curiously, he went back to his normal tone. Ten waved his hand at Hendery, to which the boy responded in the same way, still looking at them suspiciously. "I know Taeyong wants the best for me, but wouldn't I know that better than anyone else?"

Ten weighed his words carefully.

"Sometimes, Kun, you don't make the best decisions" Ten knew he made a mistake as soon as Kun stiffened, untangling himself and putting some distance between them. He missed the heat of Kun's body against his as soon as it was gone, but he didn't have much time to mourn that.

"What are you talking about?" Kun's eyes were cold, and Ten cursed inwardly at himself because of that.

"I think there are times in which…, you don't really think about the consequences of your actions, the effects they may have. Not as much as you should, at least".

"I'm guessing you're saying I put my own desires before what's best for the kingdom? Is that it?" Ten wisely stayed silent, knowing nothing good would come from him opening his mouth, not after it was exactly that what had gotten him into the argument in the first place, but Kun took that as his cue to carry on his rant, quicker that time, almost spitting the words out. "Is it so bad I think about me as a person and not just a prince? Can't I make my own choices for once? I can't believe _you_ , of all people, accuse me of being selfish. No, not you, I’m not taking this from you. _You_ aren't the one to talk".

Ten frowned.

“What...?" Kun just ignored him.

"I know my responsibilities and I know who I am but I'm not giving up myself, not now, not ever. I've seen what giving your entire self for something does to you and I won't do that. Not for the kingdom, not for Taeyong, not even for you. The only thing I've asked is to be able to make my own choices, to choose who's going to be the one protecting me".

"I know, Kun. I'm sorry" he said, with all the sentiment he could muster. Kun slowed down at it, but still he didn't stop, even if the anger seemed to have seeped out of his voice and body, leaving him tired.

"It hurts that you're the one to talk, Ten. If I really put my own desires before anything else... If I really did..." Kun let out a humourless laugh as he ran his hands through his hair, pushing his fringe out of his eyes. 

He didn't say anything else, but Ten wasn't expecting him too. They stayed as they were, unspeaking, unmoving, as Kun calmed down, as the last of his anger and hurt disappeared, surrounded only by the rhythmic thumping of the arrows against the target. Before he could stop himself, Ten reached for Kun hand, his fingers circling Kun's wrist in a loose embrace, and brought it up, brushing his lips against Kun's knuckles. His friend stared at him, caught by surprise, and Ten was reminded of the first time he had done it, back when they were just kids, and Ten had managed to anger Kun beyond the imaginable. Embarrassed, he dropped the prince's hand on his lap, his cheeks flaming.

"I'm really sorry, Kun. I didn't mean to imply any of that, I'm really sorry", he rested his head against the wall behind them, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

He could feel the weight of Kun's eyes on him and, as soon as Ten's hand fell from his face, the familiar shape of Kun's body against his. He smiled, enjoying the feeling, willing himself to commit it to memory. They stayed there, enveloped by a comfortable silence as they watched Hendery, gleefully shouting whenever his arrows would hit the target's inner center.

"Are there any news on yesterday's body?" Ten shuddered at the memory conjured by Kun's soft voice.

"Not yet. Taeil and Taeyong aren't yet sure of what happened, so they're being extra cautious. They won't get anywhere near the corpse until they're convinced it's not going to be a problem for any of us".

Ten had almost screamed when he had entered the common workroom and found a lump covered in multiple herbs, all of them in varying levels of decay. The smell in the small room had almost sent him retching, and so Taeyong had banished him from the place until it was safe for them to approach the body, without the plants as protection

"But, is it magic?" There was an urgency in Kun's words that hadn't been there before, and Ten sighed, understanding what his friend wasn't able to ask.

"The state the body was in... It was, for sure, caused by magic. Whether it's the curse or something else, that I don't know, but I think Taeyong suspects it's something different, and I believe Taeil thinks so too, even if he doesn't want to tell me anything about it".

The previous night, Ten had waited for Taeil to return to the room they shared, meaning to get a briefing on what Taeil and Taeyong had discussed, as they did every time they had a case to take care of. However, no matter how hard he'd tried, how hard he'd pushed, Taeil hadn't given an inch, remaining stubbornly quiet. Ten had finally given up when Taeil had turned his back to him and proceeded to light up the candles beside his bed, not even looking at him.

"It was bad, Kun. It was really bad, that one will keep me company for many nights" he confessed. He felt Kun move around, tilting his head from where he was to look at Ten, and that urged him to continue. "But don't worry about it, we will solve it, Taeyong and Taeil are too good at their job to not do it".

"It's my kingdom, Ten, my people. It's hard not to worry, even if I know how capable the three of you are" Ten said nothing at that. "I'm so grateful for you, for what you do. Not just Taeil and Taeyong, but you too. You know that, right? I don't know what I'd do without you" The words were mumbled against Ten's skin, barely a whisper, the shadow of a caress, yet he felt them deep down and they resonated in his ears, loud and clear.

Closing his eyes, Ten took a deep breath, and nodded in response to Kun's words as he exhaled. He didn't know what he was nodding to, but he felt it was the least he could give him as a response.

They had been friends over a decade, and still, Ten sometimes forgot Kun knew him as well as he knew himself.

"What is it, Ten?" Ten shook his head, "I can almost hear you thinking, don't try to lie. What's wrong?"

One would have said Ten must have hardened after the things he had seen and done. Sometimes, Ten thought so himself, managed to fool himself into believing it. But when it came down to it, Ten knew there was nothing that scared him as much as facing Kun. Kun, sweet Kun, for whom Ten would gladly lay his life, was sometimes too much for him, his disappointment and sadness too much for him to handle. But Kun was waiting for an answer, and there was nowhere he could escape to, nothing to buy himself some time.

"I am going to take part in the competition”.

Kun kept still, so still Ten would have sworn he wasn’t even breathing, before slowly peeling himself off Ten’s body and turning around to fully face him.

“And why, do tell, would you do that?” Kun’s words were as cold as ice, causing Ten to grimace. “You know I’ve always meant to give you the position”, he continued, his tone still frozen.

“You will have more options, not just me”.

“I don’t need any other options, not if I can have you! Do you not want to do it?” The hurt, the confusion in Kun’s voice pained Ten, threatening to undo him.

“Of course I do!” he gritted his teeth. “I just want what's best for you, Kun"

"Why can't you see it, Ten? That for once, what I desire and what's best for me are one and the same? Is it that hard to accept?" 

Kun stared at him, unblinking, unmoving, too close and too far at the same time, as Ten's voice left him, as he struggled to tell the prince just all the ways he was wrong, just how inadequate Ten was for that position, how undeserving of the trust in Kun's eyes and voice, but how could he, when all words left him when Kun looked at him like that? How tell him he was wrong when his body and heart and mind were screaming at him to just let go, to believe in Kun and his faith in Ten? How to take a step back and let someone else fill in his position, when just the thought of it made him feel like he was being torn apart?

“Kun?”

Ten didn't know how long they had stayed in that position, just looking into each other's eyes, none of them backing down, until Hendery interrupted them. Not ever had he been as grateful and as resentful of the presence of the young boy as he was at that moment. He turned his head towards him, ignoring Kun as he tore his eyes away and focused his attention on Hendery. The prince smiled warmly and opened his arms, an invitation his younger brother took up happily.

“Did you see me? Did I do well?” He asked from where he had rested his head on Kun’s shoulder, his arms around his brother’s neck, holding tightly.

“Of course you did!”

Hendery moved around until he was able to look at Kun straight in the eye.

“I don’t believe you. You weren’t even looking!” He turned his head to look indignantly at Ten, affronted. Ten’s lips twitched, the shadow of a smile.

“We _were_ looking!”

Hendery frowned at his brother, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“You were just talking to each other, you weren’t looking!”

Kun gazed at Ten for a second. 

“We promise we will be looking next time, Hendery”. Ten threaded his fingers through the boy’s hair, trying to look as earnest as possible. Hendery seemed dubious, and turned to his brother for confirmation, relaxing when he received a nod and a smile, and something mischievous shone in his eyes.

“Or you could do it now! It’s been such a long time, please, let’s have a competition!” he pouted at them, clinging to Kun’s clothes, imploring at them. Ten and Kun locked eyes over Hendery’s head for a second, before Kun sighed and his brother clapped, happily jumping off Kun. He grabbed both of their hands, dragging them with him. “Come, let’s play! It’s more fun with you than with Sicheng. Sorry, Sicheng!” he chirped, casting a look at the older man, who just shook his head and smiled lightly, moving to stand by the wall.

 

***

 

“Why do you even want to participate? You know I’ll appoint you as my personal guard in a heartbeat”.

Kun had only waited until Hendery, followed by Sicheng, had gone to meet his friend before going back to the topic. Ten exhaled slowly, a dozen variations of that same conversation going through his head.

“Maybe because I want to know that I’ve earned that honour and I didn't just get the position because of our friendship".

"It might be an honour but I must also be able to trust them and there's no one I trust as much as I trust you" Kun's eyes were big and round, and Ten felt his resolve water, but he wouldn't give in, not with something like that.

"I don't like feeling like a thief, my prince. Please don't make me feel like one" the words tasted like ashes on his tongue, but he knew Kun heard the sincerity and pleading in his tone, and he knew he'd back down, if only temporarily.

Kun's shoulders slumped.

"I know you won't but, what if you fail? You won't accept being appointed then and I don't think I can do this without you" Kun's words were raw, and Ten felt his heart miss a step.

He grabbed Kun's sleeve, forcing him to come to a halt, and waited until his body was facing Ten's. Their eyes didn't meet, though, and Ten was suddenly grateful for that, for they were standing close, too close, making all alarms in his head start blaring and forcing his every muscle into lockdown.

"Then you'll see I wasn't enough," he said, his tone gentle, even if his words weren't.

Kun's head snapped back up. Sometimes, the calm and collected mask he wore in public slipped and it allowed everyone to know what was going on inside him. It was only for a fraction of a second before it was back on, and most people weren't used enough to Kun, to his mind and his secrets and his feelings to even notice, but Ten was. He was proficient at making that mask slip, that mask that was on more often than not those days, that mask that Ten hated more than anything. And for a second that mask was off, and a myriad of expressions passed through Kun's face, some he could identify, some too quick for him to make sense of, before he schooled back his features and there was nothing left for Ten to read.

Kun's arms were around Ten's neck before he could react, holding him tight, like he didn't want to let Ten go, like he didn't care they were in the middle of a brightly lit corridor where everyone could run into them.

"You've always been more than enough" his voice was barely above a whisper but that was not enough to mask the steel in it.

Kun held him with too much strength, yet it somehow didn't bother Ten. It was over before he could react, Ten missing the heat around him as soon as it was gone.

The next day, Ten registered his name in the competition, Kun by his side as soon as he was done. They said nothing of it, the air surrounding them both heavy with unspoken words, but Ten knew Kun was aware of his gratitude, and he silently promised not to fail him, not then, not ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it for today's chapter! I will try and come back soon but I am taking part in a fic fest so I'llhave to split my time between this fic and the other one, so I don't know if I'm going to be back next week. I won't forget this, though, don't worry.  
> I hope you enjoyed and, in case you're interested, Blood moon now has a [Spotify playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6vtgk0yRg9WRedZzP0JaWS)! See you soon and thank you for reading this!
> 
> [tw](https://twitter.com/monstaruniverse) || [cc](https://curiouscat.me/Val_99)
> 
> \- Val


	4. Chapter 4

Once, many years before, when Ten was still a child and he and Taeil were yet to arrive to the castle, they had lived in a village, a day or two from the capital. Taeil had insisted on them being inconspicuous, and, even if Ten didn't fully understand what that meant, he tried to best to do so and please Taeil.

He stayed away from the other children, watching them running around without interacting, the longing and desire to join them deep in his bones. Still, he resisted it, knowing full well what would happen if he made a mistake, if he revealed more than he was supposed to. 

It was hard, watching the other kids, hearing them laugh, seeing them have fun. Ten watched them from their house window, his body almost falling through it, whenever Taeil let him rest in between their lessons. He also watched them during the evenings, until the Sun set and night fell, and the parents and older siblings called for the children to return home.

Sometimes, the yearning Ten felt was almost too big for his body to contain it, but he never said anything, because he knew Taeil hated moving out of the towns they lived in, and he didn't want to be the cause of it once again.

It was one of those days, after watching a boy be picked up by his mother to go back home, when he couldn't hold it any longer.

"Ten, come here, let's continue", called Taeil from the back of the room.

"Yes, father".

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ten stiffened, realizing what he had just let out. None of them said anything, the silence between them thick and heavy. Gulping, Ten turned around, fearing what he would see when he did so. Taeil was standing, his eyes fixated on the young boy, the usual tender lines of his face uncharacteristically hard. His hands were curled into fists, his jaw tight, the look in his eyes tumultuous, a glimpse of the storm inside him. There was pain and hurt and anger, and something akin to horror in his face for a brief moment, so brief Ten would later wonder if any of that had been there at all, before he turned around and left the room, not saying anything to the child.

Ten's eyes stung with unshed tears as he stood, incapable of moving or saying anything. He rubbed his face furiously, sobs making their way up his throat, even as he stifled them, swallowed them so that they wouldn't be heard.

The door opened sooner than Ten was expecting, and Taeil came in, looking bone-tired, his eyes slightly unfocused, but he didn't seem mad. A small mercy, at that. He made his way to where Ten was still standing, and knelt before him. For a moment, neither of them said anything.

"I'm so very sorry, Taeil" he whispered, shrinking into himself, as if trying to make himself as small as possible and disappear.

Something in Taeil's eyes softened at that, and he attempted a weak smile in response.

"It's..." He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Let's just keep working, shall we?" he ruffled Ten's hair, as he stood up.

Ten nodded wordlessly and followed him to the back of the room, where Taeil taught him to read and write, and about the herbs and their properties.

They didn't leave the town, at least not due to something the boy caused, and they never once spoke about what Ten had said. Ten pushed the memory of that evening where it wouldn’t hurt, so deep not even him would know it was there, and moved on, not once looking back. 

Still, sometimes the thought crept on him, when he was unprotected, when his guard was down, during the moments he helped Taeil perform his job, until he regained his bearings, and ignored the pang of hurt that went through his heart and mind.

“Where are you?” Taeil’s voice brought him back to Earth, once again. Ten shook his head, dissipating the last thoughts that remained in his head.

“I’m here, of course”. Taeil smiled softly at him from where he was seated beside the table.

“No, you weren’t. But if you are here once again, please come and tell me your opinion”.

Dutifully, Ten placed his book on the chair he was sitting on and moved so that he was standing by Taeil’s side. In front of them, laying on the table that took up most of the room, was the corpse of that unfortunate woman. A tiny part of his mind, the one that he could rarely silence completely, wept for the fate she had suffered. The other part, the one that had learned to detach himself from the situation, only saw bones and skin, an empty carcass to be studied, a husk that would hopefully answer all their questions. He barely ever noticed the state the bodies were in, not after seeing so many of them. No longer did the cracked ribs and removed organs disturb him, only during the darkest nights did the images of the eviscerated corpses come back to haunt him. The blood that stained his gloves and clothes were little more than an afterthought. They had to be, as he had seen what happened if not.

Ten cocked his head.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Tell me what you think about this. Tell me what you feel”.

Nodding, Ten inhaled deeply. Some things were easy to spot. Others, they were trickier. And while he was sure Taeil had noted most of them, he didn’t want to fail him, for he might see something Taeil hadn’t.

“Evidently, there was magic involved in her death. Whether it was before, after or during it, I don’t know, but we saw the aftermath, so that much is obvious” next to him, Taeil hummed. “Her organs seem to be drained out of liquid, but as I studied them, I did not see any incisions or marks that would justify that. The body is in a pretty bad state given the time it has been since the passing. It is showing signs of rotting, which is highly unusual”. Taeil waited patiently as he swept his eyes over the body once more. “Maybe it is related to her fingers and lips turning black” he continued, hesitant. “Other than that, I don’t think I can add anything else” he didn’t bother masking the disappointment in his voice.

“Of course you can. Maybe just not with your eyes” at Taeil’s voice, Ten whipped his head to look at him, eyes wide, jaw slightly slack. Taeil, shrugged, sheepish. “There’s no one here. It won’t hurt”.

“But you said…”

“I know I did”, Taeil’s eyes softened, something like regret swimming in them. “And I’ve been thinking maybe it wasn’t the best of ideas. No one will know, Ten”. He waited for Ten to say something, and when he remained silent, he pressed, softly. “Tell me what you can about the organs”.

With one last look to the door to make sure it was firmly closed, Ten nodded, once, twice, before inhaling deeply, and placing his hands on the body. He ignored the slight tremble that went through them, and the apprehension he felt. There was work to do, and it was one only he could do.

Closing his eyes, Ten ignored his surroundings, what he could feel and touch and hear and smell, focusing on the sense that he kept buried deep within him, the one he gave not even a passing thought. 

It was hard, at first, to awaken it. Ten had spent much of his time forgetting that part of him, fearing what might happen should anyone learn of it. He had disregarded it, and it was covered in dust and cobwebs, not used to being called. Ten pushed and pulled and fought until it was at arm's length, and then he grabbed at the frayed edges and pried it from the depths of his mind. 

It was weak and fragile, but it was enough, enough for him to feel himself, for him to feel Taeil’s body, with a sense that was not his sight or touch, but something different, something more powerful. It was enough to sense the utter nothing that came from the body in front of him and, while he was aware he had barely ever used that ability, he also knew that was not how it was supposed to feel.

Cautiously, he sent the tendrils of his power towards the body, scouting what was there. At first, there was nothing, but then he was being pulled towards the corpse, towards the nothingness that seemed to attract him even against his will, that made his mind fuzzy and the world spin. It was faint, but it was still there and, the more he approached the woman’s body, the stronger it became. He didn’t realize he was moving until something warm wrapped around his upper arm, keeping him in place, forcing him back to earth.

Gritting his teeth, Ten willed himself to stay still, to resist the attraction by whatever means needed, and focused on the body and organs. Blindly, he reached to grab one of them, not caring which. Taeil must have noticed his intentions, as he swiftly put the woman’s heart in his hand. 

When he touched it, Ten felt nothing strange other than it’s weight, lighter than it should have been. Then, his senses sharpened and he felt it. It was feeble, almost gone, but there was something radiating from the heart. Confused, Ten pushed against that force until it gave out. The next thing he knew, there was something grainy and soft against his palm and that broke the enchantment, ruining the connection, making him crash back into his body.

Stumbling, he would have fallen to the floor, had Taeil not been fast enough, making him sit as soon as his knees buckled. It took some time for his mind to catch up with his body and for a moment he was blind and unresponsive. Slowly, Taeil’s worried face came back into focus, and Ten attempted a smile, that turned into a grimace rather than a grin.

“How are you? Are you feeling better?” Taeil’s hands roamed his body, at the same time his eyes inspected his face, brows knitted in concern. Ten nodded weakly in response, ignoring the way his head hurt with the movement. “What did you see?”

His throat was parched, and it took Ten a few attempts before he was able to say anything.

“It… It was strange. I don’t think nothing’s supposed to feel like that”, he shuddered. “There was some kind of force pulling me towards the body, and I felt like there was something missing” he briefly locked eyes with Taeil, who gestured for him to continue. “I think whatever happened to this poor woman, just…, took her life away?” 

“How?” Taeil seemed worried, but not surprised, not as much as Ten had expected.

“I don’t know how but, I could feel nothing in it. It was like it was trying to get something out of me, like it was incomplete, like someone had squeezed all the life out of her and took it away”, at Taeil’s confused expression, he shook his head, vehemently. “I can’t explain it in any other way, you have to feel it for yourself to understand”.

“So, what you’re saying is that you think someone killed her by sucking the life out of her?” Ten hummed, the pounding in his head too loud for him to form any coherent sentences. “That would explain what happened to her heart”, he pointed at Ten’s hand where only a fine greyish dust remained, no traces of the organ to be found. Disgusted by it, Ten shook his hand around and tried to clean it on his robes. “Do you think you can go find Taeyong and tell him to come over? I think he might be in his rooms. I need to talk to him about this”.

With some effort, Ten pulled himself to his feet. He walked over to the door but when he reached it, he stopped, pondering. Nervously, he turned around and called Taeil’s name.

“You are not going to tell him about…?” he licked his lips and the older man smiled faintly in response.

“No, I won’t, don’t worry. I think he might already suspect something, he’s too smart not to, but I won’t say a word”. Ten closed his eyes and nodded.

“Thank you”.

Taeyong’s rooms were located deep within the castle, fairly distant from the workroom he and Taeil shared. That one was in the first floor of the castle, easily accessible should they be needed, close enough to the entrances of the castle so that, in case of emergency, not much time was wasted. The quarters Ten and Taeil shared were not far away from it. 

Taeyong, however, enjoyed his privacy, his peace and quiet, and so, when he had first arrived at the castle, not long after the curse had been cast, he had required for his room to be secluded, away from everything else. He hadn’t moved ever since then, and, while it was a hassle to reach him that deep into the castle, it didn’t look like he would be moving anytime soon. Hendery always joked saying that, while he was younger than Taeil, Taeyong had the soul of an old man.

As usual, Ten encountered no one as he made his way down the castle, through endless corridors and stairs that took him into the bowels of the castle. The marble gave place to plain rock, and the air turned colder, making Ten wish he had grabbed his cloak. Luckily, he wasn’t too far away from Taeyong’s room and soon he found himself knocking on the door.

He stood there, waiting for it to open, long enough to make him think the other man had already left. Just when he was about to leave, he heard footsteps approaching and the door opened, just a sliver, before Taeyong recognized him and opened it fully.

“Taeil sent me to bring you upstairs”.

Taeyong nodded and returned to his rooms. Ten, knowing better than to follow him, stood in the threshold, waiting for him. The room looked exactly the same as he had last seen it, immaculate, not a single object out of place. The only odd thing was Taeyong’s cat, sprawled on the floor near the fireplace.

“Taeyong, is your cat sick? I’m not even sure he’s breathing” he said, craning his neck to take a better look at the animal. Before he could do it, Taeyong reappeared, pushing him out the way and closing the door behind them.

“He’s fine, just tired. He’s really old, you know. Youn has been with me for a very long time” he answered, grimacing when they started walking.

“And how are _you_ , Taeyong?”

“I’m fine too, why?”

“You’re limping” he accused. Taeyong waved his hand, dismissive. 

“I tripped with my own feet before, it’s nothing serious. Don’t worry about me” Taeyong smiled brightly at him and picked up his pace, as if to prove his words. Ten wasn’t completely convinced by it, but stayed silent and followed him.

As soon as they got to the room, Taeyong sat himself on a chair, and Ten carefully closed the door, leaning against it when he did.

“What is it, Taeil?”

“Ten and I finished studying the body. I have concluded there was magic involved in her death and…” Taeil stopped talking and rubbed his hands over his face, sighing deeply. “I didn’t want to believe it but… I think you might have been right”.

Taeyong crossed his arms over his chest and let his head drop down, his chin against his chest. Ten looked from one to the other.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t agree” Taeyong confessed, voice grave.

“Agree with what?” Ten demanded.

“There are stories. Old stories”, Taeyong started, his voice grave. “About wizards and witches that developed a magic that allowed them to take the life from others, so that they could stay young and healthy. It was a magic of the darkest kind, one that isn’t even mentioned by scholars, just because of how destructive it was”.

“But that magic is old. And the tales say the last wizard who knew of it was defeated, and the books with the knowledge destroyed. No one was supposed to learn of it ever again”.

“Well, it’s obvious someone still knows it”.

“Yes, but how?” Taeil ran his finger through his hair, tugging at it, almost painfully. Taeyong shrugged.

“Maybe they kept it a secret, until they decided to use it again. It’s not important, anyway”.

“But, isn’t this good, then?” Ten asked. “If it’s a wizard and not the curse, it can be defeated. We just have to know how the last one was killed, and it’s over”.

Taeil let out a humourless laugh, and Taeyong smiled, coldly.

“If only it were that easy, Ten”, Taeil said. “We’re talking about a magic that centuries old, and not any ordinary wizard, but the dark wizard”.

Ten frowned.

“I thought he was just some bedtime story”.

“Oh, he was very much real, Ten. It’s just that the story has been tergiversated. Most of the things the children are told aren’t true, but he did exist, and it took quite a bit to put him down like a dog”, Taeyong answered, sending chills down Ten’s spine. 

“Sadly, the records talking about him are old, and incomplete. The tale of his fall has only reached us in bits and pieces, and no one really knows how the prince ended him. The stories never quite tell it, jumping straight to the happy ending”, Taeil continued.

“Like it was too bad, too horrifying to be put into words, and now part of history is lost”, there was bitterness in Taeyong’s words.

“And what do we do?”

Taeil looked sick. Taeyong snickered as he replied.

“We pray and hope we survive him”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is all for today's update! I hope you enjoyed it and if you have any questions, please do ask them and I'll try my best to solve them ^^ Comments and kudos warm my heart and if you could tell me how you're liking it so far, I'd really appreciate it!! <3
> 
> [Blood moon playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6vtgk0yRg9WRedZzP0JaWS) || [tw](https://twitter.com/monstaruniverse) || [cc](https://curiouscat.me/Val_99)
> 
> \- Val


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know today's not the usual publication day but I managed to write quite a bit, so I thought I'd make up for last week. I'm very sorry I couldn't post anything last Sunday, but I'm afraid uni's too much, so I can't promise I'll be able to post each week.  
> I really hope you'll enjoy this!

Ten took a deep breath, leaning against the wall. He let his head hang low, his chin touching his chest, fingers playing with the chain around his neck. He knew he looked like a mess, hair mussed and knotted by how he had raked his hands through it, his clothes dishevelled. Thankfully, there was no one there to see him.

He looked longingly at the stairs that would lead him to the upper floors of the castle, temptation to turn away and not look back cursing through his veins, but he remained where he was. His feet refused to carry him anywhere, and there was a part of him, hungry for more, a part that had just been awoken, that did not want to leave.

Letting out a shaky laugh, he pressed his palms against his eyes and, silently, counted to ten. Then, without pause, he got off the wall and pushed the wooden door beside him, walking into a kitchen. There was only a woman inside, sat by the fireplace, her back turned to the entrance. Before he could regret his decision and leave, the woman spoke.

“I thought you’d never come in”.

Ten felt something pull at the corner of his lips, a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, dying as soon as it had been born.

“I thought so too”.

The woman got up from the stool on which she was seated, leaving an apple and knife on the table, and walked up to where Ten was still standing, rooted to the floor. They were around the same height and so Ten found it was hard to avoid her kind eyes and gentle smile, not with her so close, not when his mind was so conflicted, wanting to escape but never leave.

“What is it, Ten?” Her voice and words were soft, her smile never leaving her face, not even as Ten struggled with his words, words that seemed to have left him. It took him several attempts before he could manage to get something out, voice weak and fingers tangled up in the locket’s chain.

“I wanted… I. I accept. Your offer” he croaked. “I accept your offer, Yoohyeon”. 

The woman, Yoohyeon, nodded.

“I’m really glad to hear that but, are you sure it’s what you want?” 

Ten frowned, confused, and in turn, she gave a pointed look at his fingers, still entangled in the chain, curved so tightly around it there were marks in the flesh. Quickly, he relaxed the death grip he had on it, even if he didn’t completely remove his hand.

“I am. I’m just… Nervous” he said, his smile unsure. “But I am sure I want to”.

Yoohyeon’s smile grew and turned bright upon hearing his words and she nodded, her eyes unable to contain her glee. 

“I’m so happy to hear that, Ten. I thought I’d die before this day finally happened”.

Ten nodded, still nervous, still unsure, but feeling a tiny bit better, as if a weight he hadn’t even realized existed had suddenly been lifted from his shoulders. He smiled at her and, for the first time that evening, it was a real smile. It was small, brief, but it was honest, and Yoohyeon beamed at that.

He followed her deeper into the kitchen, sitting on the floor by her side, while Yoohyeon went back to work.

“What made you change your mind?” She briefly looked at him before returning her attention to the task at hand. Ten stayed silent, mussing what to tell her.

“Recently, I… I had to use my magic for… A thing” Yooheyon snorted, amused at that. “But it was really hard and it… It made me feel like I was incomplete”, the older woman nodded, signalling that she was indeed listening, urging him to speak. “I hadn’t felt that way before, but I had never really used my magic, so… I just want to be able to use it, I guess, and you told me you’d be willing to teach me” Yoohyeon smiled at him, warmly, upon hearing the uncertainty in his voice.

“I still am, don’t worry about that. What did you feel when you used it?”.

“It was hard. It was like trying to wake Hendery in the mornings, in fact,” Yoohyeon laughed at that, her eyes crinkling in amusement. “I really had to push myself, and it left me exhausted”.

Yoohyeon nodded, and, for a few minutes, none of them saying anything, the only sound disrupting the silence being the scraping of the knife against the fruit.

“It shouldn’t be like that, you know?” Yooheyon’s soft voice surprised Ten, who turned around to face her. “Using your magic should be as easy, as natural, as breathing, especially for you” Yoohyeon smiled at him, a twinge of sadness in her eyes.

“You can help me with that, right?”

The woman nodded, and Ten nodded in response, relieved at that.

“I will, just not today. You still look exhausted, Ten” she continued, and Ten bit back his retort. He knew it was pointless to discuss that, not when it had cost him so much to drag his body down to the kitchens. “There’s no point in me teaching you if you’re going to pass out because of it. We will start when you don’t look like you have to sleep for a week”.

Groaning, Ten conceded defeat. Closing his eyes, he moved until his back was resting against the table.

“Do you mind if I stay here with you? Just for a little while, you won’t even have to talk to me”.

“Of course you can, but I thought you’d rather prefer to go back to Taeil or the prince”.

“Kun is busy right now, and I’m in no shape to train with the guards, they’d have me on the ground in a heartbeat” he admitted. “And Taeil and Taeyong aren’t in the castle, and won’t be back anytime soon, so I have nowhere else to go”.

There was some ruffling coming from where Yoohyeon was seated, as if she were moving around. Something heavy was settled on the table, at Ten’s back.

“Has there been another death?” Alarmed, Ten moved until he was peering at Yoohyeon, craning his neck to avoid the table that served as an obstacle between them.

“How do you know that? It has been kept a secret!”

“Do you really think something like that can be hidden from me?” Yoohyeon looked down at him, arching her eyebrows.

“I suppose not” he admitted, begrudgingly. “But it’s not any of that. There has been reported another case of water poisoning up north. It was a whole river, from what I’ve been told. Taeyong and Taeil had to leave immediately”.

Yoohyeon muttered a curse under her breath, and Ten found himself agreeing with her.

“At least, one way or another, this will be over soon,” she said, anger and resignation coating her words.

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t know?” Yoohyeon continued, without waiting for Ten’s answer. “There are news. The same witch that spoke of the first blood moon has said the second one is soon”.

“How soon is _soon_?” He pressed, Yoohyeon shrugging her shoulders.

“A couple of months, at most. That’s how it was last time. We’re nearing the end, Ten. We have to be prepared”. She must have read the despair in his face, because she went around the table and stood beside him. “We’ll survive this, don’t worry”.

Even if he disagreed with her, Ten attempted to look comforted by her words. It was not the time to think about it, or dwell on the implications of it.

“Thank you for helping me with my magic, Yoohyeon. I know you don’t have to do it. You don’t even have to any of this, and I’m so grateful for that”.

“Don’t you worry, my boy. It’s more of a privilege than it’s a burden” she said, running her fingers gently through his hair, as Ten let his head rest again the table once again. “We’re practically kin, after all”.

 

***

 

“Are you sure you’re fit to ride?” Ten huffed at Kun’s concerned words, even if every bone in his body was groaning and protesting on top of that horse.

“I should be the one asking. You look like shit, Kun”. Said man frowned.

“Shouldn’t you be treating me with respect?” He replied, only getting a sly smile in response from Ten.

“I’m sorry. I mean you look like shit, your majesty” Kun huffed at that, while Hendery and Xiaojun, who rode a little before them, cackled. 

“I’m fine, thank you for your concern”. He then turned to Sicheng, who was riding on his right. “Please, go with the little devils and let them race until they reach the hill, they’re making me go crazy”. 

Sicheng nodded and urged his horse forward until he was caught up with the boys who, as soon as Sicheng finished talking, broke into a gallop, causing the older man to curse before following them.

“Now that they’re gone, will you tell me what’s wrong, Kun?”

Kun pressed his lips into a thin line, while Ten waited patiently for him to collect his thoughts. It was undeniable the prince was tired, the dark circles under his eyes talking of sleepless nights, the result of whatever was haunting Kun.

“It’s the usual, Ten. I thought I could handle it, but everything is starting to pile up: the damned curse that’s slowly killing our kingdom, and now these killings, that Taeyong says are caused by dark magic?” Ten nodded when Kun turned his head to look at him, hating to be the one to confirm the news. “And then there’s also…” Ten pretended to not see the sideways glance that Kun threw him, not willing to face him at that moment. “It’s just too much, too suddenly, and it’s making it hard to sleep lately”.

“You could have stayed back at the castle, try to rest”. 

Kun waved a hand, dismissive.

“And let down Hendery? He loves these days, I couldn’t disappoint him like that. Besides, it helps me clear my head. And the kids… They keep the bad days at bay”.

“If you say so…” At Ten’s doubtful tone, Kun smiled.

“I do. And now, please, don’t mention any of this in front of them” he said, at the time he stopped the horse and dismounted.

Ten rolled his eyes at Kun’s back, following his steps. He gently guided his own horse by the reins, letting him move around freely once they arrived to the clearing, where Sicheng and the boys were already waiting for them.

It was a tradition of theirs, to take one day of the week and leave the castle. Kun had started it, dragging a young and innocent Ten with him, whose will to fight the young prince and remind him of his obligations had dissolved as soon as Kun’s blinding smile had been directed at him. For years, it had been just Kun and Ten, lying on the grass of a clearing, on a hill not too far away from the castle. Those were the times when Ten had seen the other as free as ever, his guard down and mask nowhere to be found. Those were the days he cherished the most, the only occasions when he allowed himself to skip Taeil’s classes, just to spend the time with Kun. At first, Taeil hadn’t seemed keen on the idea, but it wasn’t long before he accepted it.

Hendery and Xiaojun had not been included at first. If it had been up to Ten, they would have never been. But it hadn’t been up to Ten, instead being Kun the one responsible for the decision, and when all his little brother had asked on his tenth birthday was to be granted permission to go with them, Kun had given it instantly. Xiaojun had been included in that invitation, as Hendery did little without his best friend.

Sicheng, however, was only there because of the recent attack on Hendery. Kun had always been adamant on not taking guards with him, despite all of Ten’s attempts to persuade him to do otherwise. As soon as Hendery had been at risk, though, Kun had ordered Sicheng to go along with them.

If he was honest with himself, Ten had really needed the escape, too. The castle could sometimes be too much, and watching the boys playing around, laughing without a care in the world, made breathing a little easier.

With a groan, he threw himself to the ground beside Kun, but while the prince was seated with his back against the trunk of a tree, Ten laid down, his head just shy of Kun’s thigh. They stayed there, comfortable silence between them, lazily watching the boys running and forcing Sicheng to play with them.

“They’re closing the lists today,” Kun said casually, no more than a passing thought. Ten moved around until he was looking at Kun, even if upside down.

“I know. Are you mad?”

Kun had one of his legs folded, his elbow on his knee, face resting on his palm but at the question, he turned his head slightly to look at Ten.

“No. I’m a little upset but… Not mad. I understand, even if I don’t like it”.

“Thank you” and he really meant it. 

Kun's smile was faint, no more than a sketch, disappearing as soon as the sunlight grazed it. He turned his head to look straight ahead once more, and they settled back into silence, but they had been friends for far too long, and so, Ten waited.

Twisting around, Ten repositioned himself with his chest against the grass and propelled himself until he was half sit up, with his chin resting on his closed fist. From that angle, he could see Kun, his profile against the bright blue sky, his hair gently swaying in the breeze. It was an image he wanted to remember forever.

“Ten…?” Kun’s voice were tentative, unsure.

“Yes?”

“There’s something more that has been worrying me these last few days” the confession did not surprise him, but he made sure to keep his expression blank, waiting for Kun to decide the pace. Kun turned his head ever so slightly, the Sun making his hair shine. “With the blood moon that is to come… My parents came to speak to me. They said it’s time for me to marry. For the kingdom, they said”.

Ten blinked. He opened his mouth, once, twice, but nothing came out of it. He knew every word Kun had just uttered. They formed a coherent sentence he could understand. Still, they made no sense. Not then, not ever. 

“What?”

“They’re looking for a suitor, Ten, and… I think they found one already”.

Kun’s eyes were pleading, begging for Ten to understand. But, what was there to understand? Kun, who was lovely and polite and smart and beautiful and the crown prince to his kingdom was going to get married. Had Ten not wondered during those sleepless nights about the time in which Kun would no longer need him? When Kun would be surrounded by people who deserved him, who deserved that honour. 

There was a cage in his chest, though. A cage that contained words, beautiful, fragile, powerful words, fluttering around, trying to scape. There was a cage in his chest, and a key in his hands, and so he pushed it down, buried so deep within him he’d be forced to forget it’s existence. 

He forced himself to smile, and he was sure what came out was ugly and twisted and broken, but Ten was Ten and Kun was Kun, and there had never been another possible outcome for that. Ten had made sure to smother every fantasy that his brain and heart had ever conjured, but he hadn’t been as successful as he had thought, not with how his chest was hurting, like there was something falling to pieces inside of it. 

And so, Ten forced himself to conjure a smile, because there had never been another option.

“That’s great, Kun” the words like shards of broken glass up his throat and Ten was sure he would collapse anytime, because no one could survive without a functioning heart.

Even then, when Kun’s expression crumpled down, with his face twisted in pain, unshed tears in his eyes, Ten thought Kun was the loveliest person he had ever seen, his beauty unparalleled. 

He knew anyone would be lucky to marry Kun. He just wished he could stop the tears from coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've enjoyed this (even if it hurt a bit to write it). Comments and kudos warm my heart. See you next update!
> 
> [Blood moon playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6vtgk0yRg9WRedZzP0JaWS) || [tw](https://twitter.com/monstaruniverse) || [cc](https://curiouscat.me/Val_99)
> 
> \- Val


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uni has been taking its toll, but I hope you'll be able to enjoy this ^^

It was hot inside the large room, the heat coming from all the bodies inside it making the atmosphere suffocating. Rows of sweat run down his temple, pooling at the end of his back. Ten’s heartbeat was so loud it almost drowned everything else around him, the noise of the chairs scraping the floor, the swishing sounds of liquids being stirred. 

In front of him, there was a table, five glasses half-filled with different coloured liquids. He was pretty sure none of them were water, the milky quality of the most transparent one making him doubt it was even drinkable. Around him, the same image repeated all along the room, the same cups, the same liquids, the exact same look of concentration.

They had been given a set amount of time to select the cup that contained no poison. If they succeeded, they would pass on to the second round, Taeyong had said. If they failed, they’d return to their houses. Hopefully.

His words had done nothing to soothe the nerves of those present in the room, and Ten could see many that had seemingly given up, staring blankly at the cups or leaning on the table, their faces buried in their hands. Others were sweating profusely, but as the minutes ticked by, he could almost see their hopes wasting away.

Ten was almost sure of his choice, after smelling, trying, testing, all of the liquids. Even then, as the deadline got closer, doubts started to creep in into his thoughts. Each and every of Taeil’s teachings were starting to blend in together, making it hard to distinguish what was true and what was just his mind playing tricks on him. It was hard, to refrain himself from changing once again his decision, and even if the room was hot and stuffy, he felt cold, his hands clammy. It was even harder to stop his eyes from wandering around the room, to resist the temptation to look at what the man to his right, who looked so sure of himself, had chosen. He could practically feel the weight of Kun’s eyes on him from where he was standing next to Taeyong, but he stopped himself from looking back, fearing what might come out of it.

When the bell signalling the end of the test rang, the whole room let out a collective breath, relieved. Everyone took a step back, the chosen cup placed slightly forward. Taeyong went from one table to another, ticking names off a list, smiling at the ones that had made the right choice, shaking his head at the ones that hadn’t. To all of them, he handed a small vial that they scrambled to drink.

Suddenly, Taeyong was in front of him, and there was a gentle smile on his face. Ten found breathing a little easier, his knees shaking due not to nerves, but happiness and relief. He drank the contents of the vial Taeyong handed him, the one containing the antidote Taeil had brewed, just after kicking him out of his rooms, right before collapsing on top of his bed. Taeyong didn’t look like he was in a better shape, his eyes sunken, the bags under them as dark as his hair, in stark contrast to his pale skin. The competition had started barely a day after they had returned from their long trip north, and the constant tension seemed to have drained them completely. Before he could ask him, however, Taeyong was gone, moving on to the next table.

Pushing himself off the table, Ten went on looking for Kun. He found him on the far end of the room, accompanied by guards, next to the door. There was a bored look on his face, one that disappeared the moment he saw Ten approaching, replaced by a bright smile. Ten returned it with one of his own, walking faster to reach him, with a spring in his step that hadn’t been there a couple of hours before.

“You made it?” He asked as he drew closer, excitement in his voice.

“Of course!” Ten laughed, making Kun’s eyes crinkle with happiness, his smile impossibly wide.

“Congratulations!” Silence then fell over them, and there it was. There was a distance that hadn’t quite been there before, something that stopped Kun from hugging Ten the way he so clearly wanted. And Ten started searching his brain for something to say, frantically, as a tentative look appeared in Kun’s eyes, mask slipping down, taking a step forward. “Ten, I-”

But Ten needn’t have worried, for another voice, soft as velvet, rich as honey, pierced the air between them, “My prince”.

Both Kun and Ten turned their heads towards the newcomer, who was bowing deeply before Kun. When he rose, Ten identified him as the one who had occupied the table next to his. He was tall, taller than both Kun and Ten, with broad shoulders and chestnut hair, exuding a confidence Ten envied. It was had to forget him.

Kun, however, had a disoriented looked in his face, even as he tried to conceal it, hastily composing himself. It wasn’t hard to spot his confusion, though, and the stranger smiled. He had dimples, Ten distantly noticed.

“I’m sorry for coming unannounced. I’m Jaehyun. I think your parents have told you about me…?”.

Something passed through Kun’s face, too fast for Ten or Jaehyun to make sense of, clouding his eyes, before setting into a content expression. He smiled. It was subdued, a shadow of the one he had given Ten, but Jaehyun didn’t seem to notice.

“Of course, Jaehyun. Excuse me, I wasn’t expecting you here”.

It had been more of a question than a statement, and Jaehyun smiled once again, his dimples showing. He seemed to do that an awful lot, Ten noted. “I am part of the competition. A letter was sent to inform you and your parents, but I don’t think it has arrived yet”.

Kun blinked, bewildered. He opened his mouth to say something, but his eyes crossed with Ten’s and something like understanding dawned on him. He paled.

“Jaehyun, this is Ten. He’s my best friend” Jaehyun turned and grinned at him, tipping his head in acknowledgement. Ten did the same, before returning to look at Kun, still confused. Kun smiled, tight-lipped. “Ten, this is Jaehyun. I… He’s my…”

“Future betrothed?” Jaehyun helpfully supplied. Kun’s lips inched up in a fantom smile. 

“Yes. Maybe. My… Future betrothed”.

Ten stared at Jaehyun. Stared and stared, committing his image to memory, long enough it was imprinted on his eyelids. He drank in the handsome face and well-built body, the appearance of someone who’d be able to protect and love Kun like he deserved, until he was sure he knew Jaehyun’s face better than his own. 

Only Kun’s hesitant calling of his name managed to shake him from his stupor, making him turn his eyes to the prince. There was something in Kun’s eyes, a plea for Ten to understand. Bile rose in his stomach, and Ten felt like he had drunk the poison, felt it cursing through his veins. 

There was the caress of warm fingertips against his inner wrist, hot against cold, and Kun’s worried face appeared in his range of vision. Ten turned around, subtly, Kun’s fingers slipping down his hand, never quite closing in, and looked at Jaehyun, who stared at them with blatant curiosity.

“It’s nice to meet you” he replied, attempting a strained smile. He didn’t bother to wait for Jaehyun’s response. “If you’ll forgive me, I have to run some errands”.

He thought he heard Kun’s voice calling for him, but he didn’t stop, not as he felt his eyes prickle. Not once looking back, he made his way out of the room, sidestepping those who didn’t move fast enough, whispering apologies when he collided against another warm bodies. 

Somehow, through the blurring of his vision, he managed to make it to an empty hallway, sufficiently far from the room the test had taken place in that he knew he wouldn’t be found before he was ready. 

He stayed there, unmoving, blind and deaf to everything but his own heartbeat, long enough that he lost track of time. His mind and his heart were at war, loud enough to drown everything else. Loud enough that he missed the muffled footsteps until he felt fingers caressing his face.

Opening his eyes, Ten fought against the humidity in his eyes, trying to make out who it was through the mist that clouded his vision. 

For a second, he thought it was Kun’s face the one he was looking at, and his heart soared. Then, the illusion broke, Hendery’s face coming into focus, and his heart crashed.

He attempted a feeble smile, bad enough he knew he wouldn’t fool a child. Hendery looked at him with worry in his eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

Ten shook his head and opened his mouth, once, twice. It took him three attempts to gain back his voice. “N-nothing. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with your tutor?”

Hendery shook his head, his gaze fixated on Ten’s face. “Why are you crying?”

“I’m not crying,” his voice sounded weak even to his own ears and he hated that, hated that he couldn’t control himself. 

Even in the dark corridor, he could see the tenderness in Hendery’s eyes, feel it in the way he carefully wiped his tears away. “You’re a bad liar,” the smile was gone as fast as it came, but Ten was grateful for the attempt at cheering him up. “You met Jaehyun”.

They were words barely whispered, lost in the space between them, carried away by the wind, but still Ten heard them, loud and clear, as loud as bells chimed, demanding to be acknowledged, following him like a plague. His body shook, and he was incapable of keeping in the sobs that had managed to choke him.

Hendery fell to his knees, throwing his arms around Ten, burying his head in Ten’s neck, holding him close, like he was an adult and not a kid, like he was trying to keep Ten from falling to pieces. And maybe he was. 

In a dark corridor, away from everyone else, held by the arms of a child, the only witness to it, Ten cried, like he hadn’t cried in a long time, until his head throbbed and his hurt ached, until not a sound came out of him, until he had run out of tears to cry and the only thing that came out of him were sobs that managed to destroy him from the inside out. 

 

***

 

Ten dragged his feet down the corridor that lead to his room. It had been long since he had stopped crying, Hendery hugging him through it, his tether to earth, the one who made sure he returned, that held him until he had calmed down, until Ten felt like moving once again. He had tried to convince the boy he was fine, but he knew he hadn’t fooled him. Still, Hendery let him go, after hugging him once again, so tight Ten thought he’d start bawling once again. 

As he left, Hendery had promised him he wouldn’t say a word, his voice soft, eyes big. It was enough to make his eyes prickle once again, and by the time Ten had regained some control over himself, the boy was gone.

Ten pushed the door, expecting to see Taeil. Last time he had seen him, Taeil had been lying face down on the bed, snoring slightly. Ten had covered him with his quilt before leaving for the test. Taeil hadn’t even stirred. Ten walked into the room, thinking he’d find Taeil right where he had left him, still sleeping after the long and draining trip.

However, Taeil was nowhere to be found in the room. Ten briefly considered going to their workroom, see if Taeil was there, maybe working on something, but he rejected it as soon as he saw the piece of paper on the table, held in place by a plate. 

The note was short, but it was enough to make his blood run cold.

_Meet me at the workroom when you can._

_There’s another body._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't promise I'll be back next week, but I'll try my best. Comments and kudos warm my heart, so please, do tell me what you think about the story so far!
> 
> [Blood moon playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6vtgk0yRg9WRedZzP0JaWS) || [tw](https://twitter.com/monstaruniverse) || [cc](https://curiouscat.me/Val_99)
> 
> \- Val


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *taps mic*  
> I'm really, really sorry it has taken me so long to update. This past couple of weeks have been rough, and I haven't written much, but I assure you I have every intention of finishing this fic, it might just take me a little longer than intended. Some of you might follow me on Twitter, so you may know I'm taking part in a ficfest, which means I have to divide my team between these two fics, and with uni on top of that, has been hard, but I promise this won't be abandoned!  
> To make up for the long wait, this chapter is longer than usual. I really hope you'll enjoy it ^^

He couldn’t have been older than seven when it happened, but he remembered thinking it was quiet. He remembered because he had thought it was odd, the way even the air seemed stale, as if none of that was real, as if he had somehow slipped into a painting, one of those Taeil watched longingly before turning his back to it.

The entire town appeared to be holding its breath, waiting. For what, he didn’t know, but Taeil had spent the whole day pacing around the small house, nervously peering through the windows. When Ten had tried to approach, see what he was looking for, Taeil had pushed him away, mindlessly, but making sure he couldn’t get anywhere near them.

The door, like the window, was completely out of limits, and so, Ten was forced to sit in silence, knowing Taeil was too on edge to even talk. Taeil’s fingers were slowly turning red, the chain in which he had tangled them too tight around them. Ten would have said something, but he hadn’t thought Taeil would have even heard him.

Hours seemed to go on forever, stretching like the bandages Taeil had just taught him how to wrap. Taeil didn’t seem to notice, even skipping dinner, not even hearing the way Ten’s stomach roared. He just stayed there, pressed against the wall, half hidden from sight, waiting for something.

The Sun began its descend down the sky, and still, they waited. It wasn’t until the shadows had covered everything that it happened. 

It came from the front door, in the form of three quick knocks. They weren’t ominous, they sounded just like any other knock Ten had ever heard, but it was enough to make Taeil pale, so Ten sat up. Taeil pushed himself off the wall, and he threw Ten a look as he neared the door, wordlessly ordering him to stay in place. Still, Ten moved until he was seated behind the table, half hidden from sight, but with a somewhat clear view of the room’s entrance.

Standing in front of it, Taeil steadied himself with a deep breath, and opened the door. Ten didn’t know what he had been expecting to see, but what was waiting for them behind the door wasn’t it: there was a group of women, some older than Taeil, some younger. They all wore travelling clothes and they looked tired, and sad, and so angry. Their anger was almost palpable, reaching Ten in waves, almost too much to manage. He leaned forward, trying to see their faces, but retreated when he thought one of them had seen him.

The woman in the centre took a step forward, walking until the tip of her worn boots caressed the threshold, stopping a breath away from Taeil. She had long hair and delicate features, and Ten thought she looked like a fairy of one of the tales the other children liked to tell. She was tall, so tall. She towered over Taeil, making him appear smaller, weaker. Or maybe that was just the hate that rolled off her in waves, that made her look bigger than she really was. 

“I’m Minji, of the Dreamcatcher covenant. Do you know who we are?” She asked. Her voice had a musical quality to it, but her tone was harsh, angry, cold.

Taeil simply nodded. “I was expecting you.”

The woman curled her lips into a smile, as cold as her voice, as cold as her eyes. “Then you know what we’re looking for.” Wiping the smile off her face, she leaned in. “Where is she?” Taeil remained silent. Minji took a step forward, trying to get into the house, but something sizzled and she jumped back. There was faint smoke coming from her body. For a moment, she looked surprised, as another other woman rushed towards her, making sure she was alright, but the surprise was quickly replaced with anger once again. “You bastard,” she spat out. “You won’t even face us. You’re a coward.”

Ten felt anger rising up on Taeil’s behalf, but it was quickly replaced with confusion when the man said nothing. He just stared at the women before him, not giving in. One of the women moved to stand closer to the door, and Taeil turned his eyes to her. She was petite, delicate, and moved with a cat-like grace.

“Those herbs of yours won’t last long, and you know it. Don’t make this harder than necessary. We just want to know where my sister is,” she pleaded, her eyes imploring. Ten could only see Taeil’s back from where he was hidden, but he could see his inner struggle, as he opened and closed his hands.

“She came to see you, that much we know. Please, tell us where she is,” her voice was deep, and warm, and there was so much pain in her voice. Ten could see Taeil faltering. “What happened to her?”

Taeil then shook his head, turning his eyes to the ground. Ten had expected tears, crying, maybe even more yelling at Taeil, but there was none. Some of them had covered their mouths with their hands, but most had just closed their eyes, something like pain and resignation in their faces.

“When?” It was the woman that had almost seen Ten the one that spoke, her voice trembling slightly.

“Six years ago,” Taeil’s reply was so faint, Ten almost didn’t catch it. The woman let out an unsteady breath, and pushed her chestnut hair out of her face.

“On the blood moon,” it wasn’t a question, but Taeil nodded anyway. She forced a shaky smile. “At least there’s that,” she reached back, to intertwine her fingers with one of the women behind her. “Is that…?”

She turned to look at Ten, and they all did the same. Taeil moved to stand between them, to hide Ten from sight, but he wasn’t fast enough. They had seemed to reach the same conclusion, enough to make Minji jump towards Taeil once again.

“Is he?”

“No.”

“Don’t you lie to us!” She screamed. The anger that shone in her eyes and coated her voice was a reflection of the others’ anger.

“I’m not lying,” Taeil replied through clenched teeth. He didn’t fool anyone.

“You were his wizard! She came to you for help and you failed her. She’s dead because of you!” Minji’s words seemed to have struck something deep within Taeil, who staggered back, as if hit. “The least you can do is tell us the truth!”

“It was too late for her,” he whispered, his voice exhausted. Guilty. “She found me but it was too late.”

“And you let her to die,” one of the women, short and with dark-haired cut just below her jaw, pushed herself to stand in front of Taeil. “That night, I heard her, I heard her happiness turn to pain, I heard her pleas, I listened to her while she cried, alone and scared,” her eyes shone with tears that were slowly spilling down her cheeks. “And then it stopped.”

“Yoobin…” Behind her, one of the women extended her arm to grab her but she moved out of reach.

“No, Handong, I will say what I came here to say, and he will listen,” she returned her attention to Taeil, moving as close to him as the invisible barrier would allow. “I was there, listening to my sister cry, and could do nothing about it. She never knew I was there, and we were too far apart for us to find her. It has taken us years to come here, so don’t you dare lie to us. I was there when she died, even if none of us knew. Why was she alone?”

It was almost palpable, then, the wound they all bore, one that hadn’t healed in years. Taeil’s gaze shifted from one to another, expectant faces that looked at him with a mixture of pain and rage, resignation and heartbreak. He ran his hands through his hair, glancing at Ten for a brief moment.

“They feared her, as they feared the blood moon,” he confessed, shame dripping from his words. “No one wanted to be near her, for fear they’d be cursed.”

“And you let her alone there,” Yoobin whispered, falling back a step. “You killed our sister, almost as if you had stabbed her.”

Taeil flinched at that, recoiling as if he had been punched. His hands went down to his neck, to the chain around it. Minji’s eyes followed the movement and something flashed in them.

“That doesn’t belong to you,” she hissed. She moved as if to rip the chain off Taeil’s neck, forgetting the invisible barrier that stopped them from entering. It burned her, her hand a bright red when she brought it to her chest. There was murder in her eyes when she looked at Taeil, murder, and a pain so deep it made Ten’s heartache. “That belongs to the child, not to you. Never to you.”

The rest of them followed her stare and gasped at the sight of the chain. Behind them, the night seemed to have turned even darker than before.

“Give it to us, wizard!” One of them, Handong, said, stretching her hand, like she was expecting him to drop the chain in her awaiting palm. “You’re not worthy of it, as you never were worthy of our sister’s trust.”

At that, Taeil shook his head, standing straighter. “The pendant belongs to the child,” he replied.

“Give us the boy too. He’s our kin more then he’s yours,” Minji’s voice, and the chorus of voices that acknowledged her order, sent a chill down Ten’s spine. He threw himself to the side of the table, shaking his head vigorously. Taeil didn’t look at him.

“The boy will stay with me,” he growled, menacing.

Minji took a step forward, her coven falling in line behind her, as if expecting a fight. “You are a just wizard, not his father. His mother would have wanted him to be with his family. Give him to us.”

The banging of the door as it closed was all the answer Minji received. As soon as the door had closed, Ten leapt from under the table, throwing himself at Taeil, his arms around his waist, squeezing so hard he could almost ignore the shaking of his limbs. Taeil’s hands fell on his shoulder, the other cupping his head. 

“I won’t let them take you, Ten, don’t worry about that,” he promised, and Ten nodded, believing his words. “Try to get some rest, it’s going to be a long night.” Ten nodded again, letting out a shaky breath.

Neither of them got much sleep that night, no matter how hard they tried. Taeil wouldn’t leave Ten out of his sight, and he wouldn’t move away from the door either, so Ten laid on the floor, Taeil sat beside him. He spent the night speaking in low and hushed voices, not stopping to take a breath. Sometimes, the door and the house would shake, and he raised his voice, until he was pale and trembling, rows of sweat falling from his temples, dripping to the floor.

Somehow, they made it through the night. With the first lights of dawn, Taeil stood on shaking legs, a shell of his usual self, and forced Ten on top of a horse. They rode without pause, until every bend of the way looked the same to Ten, until they reached a building bigger, greater, than anything the boy had ever seen.

That day, Taeil took the chain of his neck and put it around Ten’s. That day, they were given a room at the castle, and Taeil promised him the witches would never follow them there.

 

***

 

“You look distracted,” Yoohyeon’s voice brought him back to Earth. He blinked and shook his head, throwing her an apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry. I was… Thinking.” Yoohyeon looked at him, before returning her attention to the pots she was cleaning.

“About what? Our charming foreign visitors?”

Ten’s mind conjured broad shoulders and a dimpled smile. He thought of a prince, his expression devastated after rejecting their weekly trip outside. Ten gritted his teeth, willing himself to banish those images where he’d never have to think about them.

“No. I was thinking about the past,” Yoohyeon hummed, and Ten took that as encouragement. He bit his bottom lip, nervous. “About the first day we met,” Yooheyon’s hands stilled in her movements, just a second, but enough for Ten to see. “That was you, that day in the village, right? You were a part of my mother’s coven.”

“I still am,” she corrected him softly. Carefully, she put the pots away, and turned to face him. “I wondered when you’d say something about it, or if you’d say anything at all.”

“I wasn’t sure, at first,” he admitted it. “But I know so little about her, about… Everything. Taeil… Doesn’t like talking to me about magic. He has never wanted to teach me these things and I stopped asking,” he confessed, running his hands through his hair. “Would you tell me?”

Yoohyeon sighed, and smiled weakly at him. “What do you want to know?”

“Everything,” he replied, his voice shaky. “Everything there is to tell, everything you can teach me.”

She nodded at that, deep in thought. “Why has he never told you about your mother? Or magic?” She asked, as she sat beside him. Ten shrugged.

“It’s not something he enjoys. And here… Wizards are tolerated, but witches are feared. And blood witches… Everyone hates them. They blame them for the curse, for the plagues and the dying crops,” it was something no one said, but everyone knew. “Taeil thought that, if I used my powers, if people knew I was a witch, they’d try to kill me.”

It had died out, the rage against the witches. People still hated them, thought them responsible of what was happening to them, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been at first, or so Taeil said. Ten had no recollection of those times, but he wasn’t particularly keen on the idea of reviving them. Yoohyeon looked at him sadly as he spoke.

“Blood witches are hated here, but not where we come from. You see the blood moon as something to be scared of, a sign of bad things to come. Blood moons are signs of our powers, nights destined to celebrate and be happy.”

“My mother died during a blood moon,” he said, a lump in his throat. Yoohyeon’s expression turned tender, and she caressed Ten’s face like he imagined a mother would do.

“She did, and yet it was one of the best days of her life. She had always wanted to be a mother, but she wanted to be prepared for it, wanted to offer her offspring the best she could offer” Yoohyeon’s eyes were distant and the look on her face, vulnerable. “When she learnt she was pregnant she cried tears of joy and she was ecstatic when she held you in her arms,” staring right at him, Yoohyeon leaned forward. “The blood moon did not kill your mother, Ten. _You_ did not kill your mother, and no one blames you, not us, not her, and you shouldn’t either. You were born under a blood moon but that is just a red moon. It does not mean you’re cursed and it does not mean you’re evil.”

Ten shook his head, blinking repeatedly, until Yoohyeon’s face came back into focus. He forced a smile, but didn’t think he had fooled Yoohyeon into believing it.

“If you had been born in the West, among us, you would have been thought blessed, powerful beyond measure. Here, you’re thought cursed. It doesn’t matter. The moon is the moon, regardless of its colour. It determines nothing. Superstition gave it power, but what is power without us? Blood witches believe it’s powerful and celebrate it, we draw strength from it. But if we decided to no longer do it, if we as a whole, turned our backs to it, what would be its purpose? The power would be there should anyone want it, but if no one did, it might as well disappear,” she rested her brow against Ten’s. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Ten nodded, silently. Yoohyeon continued, as if she wanted to make sure of it.

“Things will have as much power over you as you’ll allow them too. Sometimes it’s hard to see it, sometimes it’s easier, but when you know it, you can fight it. Don’t let a star dictate who you are or what you can do. You are not evil just because you were born under a moon turned red.”

Ten closed his eyes, and covered his face with his hands. A part of him yearned to believe Yoohyeon’s words, but it was hard to do so. It was hard to fight against the superstition, the words that had followed him since he was a kid. It was hard to push them aside, not when Taeil was out more often than not, trying to fight the effects of the curse. It was hard to think about anything else other than a crumbling kingdom, a sad prince, and bodies piling up on work tables.

“What is it, Ten?”

“You are here,” Yoohyeon nodded, unsure about where he was going with that. “You knew I was here,” the witch nodded again. “Why did you never do anything?”

Yoohyeon sighed, biting her lip. “I told them it’d be the best. When he took him here, he made sure we couldn’t follow, that we couldn’t get into the castle. All spells wear out, eventually, so we waited, and I came,” she explained. “Minji wanted to talk to you, but I told her to wait.”

“Why?”

“You had to come willingly to us. That man is your family, more than we are, even if it hurts,” she answered, softly. “Do you know how we found you?” Ten shook his head. She smiled and pointed at Ten’s chain, signalling for him to take it off. “All covens are close, and they stay in contact with each other. When witches come of age, they are given a locket, like yours, and mine,” she pulled at the chain around her neck, the twin to Ten’s. She opened her locket. Inside, there was something black and rounded, and a few strands of what seemed hair.

“Are those apple seeds?”

“Yes. Blood witches have it easier to communicate with each other, as long as they have something that belonged to the witch they’re trying to speak to. But when they are too far apart from each other, we use this, something as conduct for the magic,” she touched the apple seeds, “and something to connect us to each other,” she caressed the hair. Then, she grabbed Ten’s locket and opened it, revealing the same strands of hair, but no apple seed. “This, is hair, belonging to everyone in the coven,” she took it out. “It allowed us to follow you all the way to the village, but when you fled, the wizard threw away the seeds, and it was harder to find you,” she returned the hair to the inside of the locket, and closed it. “But you are one of us, and you will always have a place among us, no matter what humans or wizards say.”

Ten smiled, tight-lipped but honest, as he took back the pendant, tucking it safely under his shirt. He opened his mouth to say something, but it was lost with the sudden commotion coming from the corridors. Frowning, he stood up and walked to the door, Yoohyeon in tow.

In the corridor, everyone was talking over each other, making it hard to learn what they were talking about, but there were words being thrown around incessantly, words that, when they reached Ten’s ears, made his blood run cold.

“—Magic—“

“The crown prince—“

“—He’s dead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it for today's update. I'll promise to be back as soon as I can with the next one. I really hope you've enjoyed it! Tell me what you think of it or of the story so far if you wish to ^^
> 
> [Blood moon playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6vtgk0yRg9WRedZzP0JaWS) || [tw](https://twitter.com/monstaruniverse) || [cc](https://curiouscat.me/Val_99)
> 
> \- Val


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *opens the door, walks in, dusts out the cobwebs* *clears throat*  
> Hi! We all know time isn't a social construct but, can we maybe pretend it is? Can we maybe pretend I didn't completely abandon this story for the past three months? I'm really really REALLY sorry about it!!!! If you follow me on Twitter you might have seen I had signed up for a fic fest and between that and my studies I had no time and I'm so very sorry about not updating this fic in so long!!  
> I promise this fic will end, I am not going to abandon it, and I hope this chapter is up to your expectations (?). I haven't written Blood Moon in so long it feels weird but hopefully it is good (I say hopefully because I haven't even read the last things, I just wanted you to have it).  
> I'm so very sorry about all this, and I hope you'll like this!

Poison. As soon as the words had left Taeil's mouth, they had extended among the palace grounds. Its spread had been impossible to stop, its speed only rivalled by the speed with which the curse itself progressed. 

The Crown Prince has been poisoned, they said. He had almost died, some added. Oh, didn't you hear? He died and was brought back by the Crown's own witch, other's supplied.

The stares followed Ten everywhere he went. In a matter of hours, everyone seemed to have heard the story, every person in the castle in possession of the truth, a truth that, with every time it was told, grew to be more gruesome than the last. They regarded him with suspicion, and the faintest trace of fear. Ten's only consolation was that he wasn't the only one graced with that honour: both Taeil and Taeyong seemed to be watched in the same fashion.

"Are you sure this will be enough?" Ten insisted, worriedly watching Taeil as he worked. 

Taeil frowned, in response. He didn't take his eyes away from the liquid he was stirring, but he didn't need to for Ten to know he was getting irritated by Ten's insistent questioning.

"Yes, Ten, I'm sure. I went over it once when you first asked and have gone over it again now. Kun will be fine by tomorrow morning, and there will be no damage at all. You can trust me on that."

Ten nodded, chewing on his bottom lip. He hadn't stopped gnawing at it since he had finally sat in Taeil's workroom, after collecting the ingredients Taeil had asked for, and delivering messages between him and Taeyong.

"I just... Don't understand how this could even happen," he groaned, furiously running his hands through his hair. "He's the Crown prince. He's supposed to be protected! None of this was supposed to happen."

Taeil sighed, momentarily stopping his ministrations. "Taeyong is trying to figure out what happened right now. You should have seen his face, Ten. He was as pale as you were when you heard the new, and equally as livid. It won't happen again, Taeyong will make sure of it."

"And the king? Won't he do anything?"

Taeil rolled his shoulders. "You know it's not that simple, Ten."

"Well, it should be! Their oldest son almost died, that should be enough for the king or the queen to do something about it!"

"Ten...," Taeil looked at him, silently asking for him to let it go, but Ten refused, still shaken up. 

"Have they even gone to see him? Do they even care?"

"Ten," Taeil's tone was firm, strict. Ten closed his mouth, even if his hands still shook. "We are doing all we can right now. The king and queen both love their son, and want what's best for him. That's why we are here. They know they don't need to worry, as long as we are here for him," Ten pursed his lips, trying hard to stay quiet by biting the inside of his cheek. "Kun has me and he has Taeyong and, most importantly, he has you. There's even Taeyong's competition, which I'm sure he'll hurry up, just to make sure Kun is as protected as he can be. The point is, he will be fine," Taeil's face softened. "And if you don't trust them and their judgement, then trust me."

Ten flickered his eyes to look at Taeil, searching his familiar face for something. Finally, he nodded. Taeil smiled.

"This should be ready soon, and you'll be free to take it to the prince and stay with him for the whole night if you want to."

"I doubt I'll be allowed to, not after all this, and especially not with the blood moon so close," Ten whispered. He stared at the floor, trying to leave his mind blank. He didn't like what went on in it when he didn't manage to keep his thoughts at bay.

"And when have you allowed something like that to stop you, Ten?" Taeil's voice was soft, a bit chastising, but full of affection. "Kun will need someone when he wakes up. We all know he'll want it to be you. Stop punishing yourself, Ten. There's nothing you could have done that you didn't already do. You would have taken the hit if you had had the opportunity to do so. No one blames you for anything."

Ten tried to swallow the lump in his throat, ignore the prickling of his eyes. Pressing his lips into a tight line, he nodded. 

He sat in silence, listening as Taeil moved around the room, picking up the ingredients he needed. Some other time, Taeil would have asked Ten to do it for him. After all, he had been doing so ever since he had been old enough to do it safely, but maybe Taeil knew better than to ask him to do anything. Ten felt exhausted, as if even the smallest of tasks would weigh him down. He didn't think he would have been able to do anything correctly. It was better if he just sat and waited, no matter how excruciating that was.

It left him with time to think, even if Ten didn't want to. It was hard to avoid it, with the way the workroom still smelt. No matter the time that had passed, and how hard Ten and Taeil had tried to get rid of it, the inside of the room still reeked of the rosemary that Taeil had covered the bodies with. It was worse then than it had been with the first corpse, the fresh rosemary barely covering the smell of rot and decay, the mixture of both making their stomachs churn. 

Ten had thought the first corpse had been disturbing. He hadn't been prepared for the second.

The blackening of the body hadn't limited itself to the fingertips, ears and lips. Instead, it had spread, reaching all the way up to the elbows, tinting the veins black as it travelled upwards. The body was considerably more damaged than the first one, the skin pulled so tight over the bones it almost turned to dust when they touched it. If Ten were to guess, he would have said it appeared like the killer had been interrupted with the first victim, leaving them unable to finish the job.

It was a more comforting thought than the alternative, that each death would be worse than the previous one.

Ten was suddenly brought back to his senses when the tip of a pair of worn boots entered his visual field. Startled, he looked up, finding Taeil worriedly staring at him. In his hands, he held a vial, filled with a greenish looking liquid.

"Is that it?" Ten asked, trying to get Taeil's concerned frown from his face. At first, Taeil seemed confused by the question, until he followed Ten's eyes. He let out an embarrassed chuckle.

"It is," Ten moved to grab it but Taeil raised it so that it would be out of reach. "Make sure he drinks it all, but not all at once."

"Taeil, I know," Ten replied, impatient. "Don't worry about it."

Taeil stared at Ten's face for a long minute, as if he were trying to read him like he was an open book, all of Ten's thoughts and emotions written over it. Knowing Taeil, he probably could. When Taeil showed no intention of giving the vial to him, Ten reached forward and snatched it from his hands.

"I know you know, Ten. It's just...," Taeil shook his hands around, not finding the words.

"Yeah, I know, Taeil," groaning, he stood up, carefully inspecting the vial. He started walking towards the door but, before he could reach it, he stopped. Hesitating, the let his hand drop to his side and turned around. "You said it had been magic what had poisoned him," he started.

"It was," Taeil was looking at him, as if he already knew what Ten was going to say.

"Will this be enough, then? To fight magic?"

"The magic didn't really hurt him. Thankfully, Taeyong got to him in time. But even if it wasn't, there's always you, Ten," Ten's throat closed once more at the tenderness with which Taeil spoke. “There’s nothing to worry about.” Not wanting to contradict him, he merely dipped his chin and left the room.

 

***

 

Ten wasn’t unfamiliar with Kun’s chambers. He had spent countless hours in it, both playing and studying with Kun. The prince had never liked solitude, and so he insisted Ten came by often. Ten was pretty sure he had spent more time there than he had in his own room.

Still, no matter how many times he had been in that room, it didn’t stop him from sweating nervously, his hands clammy as he stood with the door to his back. He hesitated. Somehow, it didn’t feel right to be there. He wasn’t the only one who thought so, the palace guards posted at the doors initially refusing to let him in. One of them had been Yukhei, who, after taking one look at Ten’s distraught face, coaxed the others into letting him in. 

_“_ Five minutes,” he had whispered, before opening the door.

Five minutes. It had seemed like more than enough time to drop the vial and leave. It didn’t seem as much once he had crossed the threshold, standing frozen in the doorway, his feet rooted to the floor.

The room was in shadow, the windows closed, the fire barely lighting up the space. All the windows were closed, and the heat was suffocating. Ten grimaced as he started to sweat, almost at the exact moment he stepped into the room, remembering Kun opening the windows to let the cold air in. He was almost tempted to do the same, but a look at his friend, buried beneath the covers, made him abandon the idea.

Kun’s face stood out, pale against the dark sheets, a beacon in the darkness. The flames flickered, casting a game of light and shadows over the planes of his face, conjuring illusions with every slight change.

One moment, he was in darkness, his eyes sunken, shadows underneath them, almost like a corpse. Ten took a step back, feeling sick. Then, the light changed, bathing Kun with a soft glow. The knot in his stomach lessened, and Ten could breathe again.

Tightening his grip on the vial, Ten counted to twenty, until the incessant beating of his heart stopped being deafening. Slowly, he walked towards the bed, sidestepping the chairs scattered around it. He stopped just shy of touching the bed and stood there, staring at Kun’s sleeping form, biting on his bottom lip, unable to do anything other than stand, hands limp by his side.

He didn’t know how long he stayed there, letting the time pass by. The thought spurred him into action, worried that Yukhei would come in and tell him to leave or, worse, that some other guard would come and drag him out as he trashed against their grip. Hesitant, Ten looked at Kun and then the vial, jumping from one to the other.

Ten thought of placing the vial on the bedside table, tell Yukhei what to do with. Then he looked at Kun, his face peaceful as he slept. He saw him lying on Taeil’s table, hollowed cheeks, blackened fingers and lips, his soul carved out from his body. 

He didn’t realize he had started to shake until he felt some droplets splashing his wrist, propelled by the swishing liquid.

Closing his eyes shut, he pinched the bridge of his nose. Carefully, he placed the vial on the table and dragged one of the chairs closer, getting prepared to sit down and wait until Kun woke up. It didn’t take much, as the scrapping of the chair legs against the floor enough to disturb Kun’s sleep. 

Frozen, Ten held his breath as Kun frowned slightly, slowly stirring awake. He rubbed his eyes, blinking repeatedly. At first, he didn’t seem to register Ten’s presence, sleep still clinging to him, but soon his gaze was clear and Ten could see the moment in which Kun realized who was standing by his bed. 

Ten felt torn as Kun eyes bore into him, the look in them was split between confusion and something that looked like adoration.

“I just came to bring you this,” Ten launched himself into speaking before Kun could so himself. He placed the vial on the table, maybe a little too forcefully, as he tried to mask the shaking of his hands. “Drink it all, but not all at once. It will make you feel better.”

Ten then turned around to leave, not wanting to stay in the room a second more than necessary. 

“What happened?” Kun’s voice, albeit soft, had always had the power to enrapture Ten, to hold his attention like it was the only other thing in the world apart from Ten himself. That day wasn’t an exception and Ten found himself staying still, his focus shifting back to the prince laying on the bed. He exhaled softly.

“You were poisoned,” he replied, barely able to keep the anger and tears from his words. “No one knows how it happened but you were eating, and then you fell down. Whatever it is that was there only seemed to target you, as others ate from the plate and nothing happened. Luckily, the guards were fast enough and Taeyong was nearby. He called Taeil and together they managed to vanish the poison, or magic, or both.”

“And what is that for, then?”

“It’s to make sure you’ll recover without any problems. Taeil says you will be fine, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.”

With that said, Ten prepared to leave, but Kun was faster. Before he could even take a step towards the door, Kun’s fingers were snaked around Ten’s wrist, firmly keeping him in place.

“Don’t go,” his voice was barely a whisper, but in the silent room, it was almost deafening. “Stay,” he insisted, when he saw the expression on Ten’s face.

“I can’t, Kun.”

“Of course you can, Ten.”

Kun tugged down to bring him closer, his fingers lose enough around his wrist that Ten would have been able to break free if he had wanted to. Instead, he let himself be dragged down, until Kun and he were at the same level.

“It’s best if I go, Kun. I’m… I’m bad,” he breathed out, trying to keep his voice steady. He tried to smile when he saw Kun’s confused and worried look, but he only succeed at making his frown deepen. 

“You’re not, Ten. Why would you say that?”Ten shook his head.

“It’s true, Kun. I’m cursed, I only bring pain to those around me.”

“Ten…”

Kun tried to caress Ten’s face, calm him down, but he jerked away, refusing to look at Kun.

“I’m cursed and I’m bad, Kun,” it was as if he was no longer able to keep the words at bay, bursting out of him almost violently. “You wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me,” he continued, his body trembling. The feeling of Kun’s hands around his made him look up, grimacing when he saw himself reflected in Kun’s worried eyes. “That’s what they say about those born during blood moons, don’t they? That they’re cursed. That we only bring despair to those around us.”

Something ticked in Kun’s jaw, all feeling leaving his face, his expression shutting down. Ten closed his eyes and tried to get away, but Kun’s hands were securely wrapped around his, stopping him from moving. Kun’s fingers, still warm from being underneath the covers, grabbed Ten’s chin, carefully moving his head so that he would look at Kun once again.

“You are not cursed, Ten,” Kun kept his tone even, speaking slowly and softly, as if he was speaking to a scared animal. “I understand that feeling, believe me, but believe me too when I tell you I don’t care when you were born or what they say about you. You’re a force of nature, but you could never be bad, you could never be cursed.”

“You don’t know that, Kun!”

Kun’s voice softened. “I’ve known you since you were kids, Ten, of course I do! You’re one of the best things that have ever happened to me, you could never be _bad_.”

“But I could be cursed,” he whispered.

“You’re not but, even if you were, I don’t care. You’re my friend, and I love you, no matter what others may say. No matter what you say. And if you don’t believe yourself, at least believe me when I say it,” Kun’s voice was tender and raw as he wiped the tears Ten hadn’t realized he was shedding. “You’re not cursed, Ten. You could never be.”

Ten sniffled before nodding once, twice. He wasn’t convinced, didn’t believe Kun’s words but a part of him wanted to, yearned for it. Apparently, that was enough for Kun, at least for the time being.

That time, Ten didn’t fight when Kun whispered for him to stay, scooting to a side to make room for Ten to join him. Silently, Ten obeyed, basking in the warmth of Kun’s body against his, the feeling of his fingers softly combing through his hair, their hearts beating at unison. 

It felt right. Ten vowed silently to keep it that way as long as he could, before they both fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for today! I hope you've enjoyed it, and will try to come back soon(ish)! Kudos and comments warm my heart <3
> 
> [Blood moon playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6vtgk0yRg9WRedZzP0JaWS) || [tw](https://twitter.com/monstaruniverse) || [cc](https://curiouscat.me/Val_99)
> 
> \- Val


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally here. I'm so so so very sorry for not having updated in so long and for taking so long with this fic, it's been hard and I haven't been able to give this fic the time it deserves. I will try to have the next chapters sooner, and I really hope you'll like this one <3

Ten downed a gulp of water and looked around, squinting his eyes. He rolled his shoulders, trying to get rid of the stiffness in them, but it was pointless: the tension was almost a second skin, a weight that pulled him down and dragged his every movement, turning heavier as the screams around him rose in volume.

The morning breeze did little to cool his skin, even less to soothe his nerves. Ten closed his eyes, and tried to block the noise around him, the smell of blood and sweat, the stinging bite of fear. Instead, he tried to focus on his breathing, slowly taking in air, retaining it for a few seconds, before releasing it once again. He tried to focus on that to calm his racing heart, following the steps Taeil had taught him as a kid.

It didn't do much, but at least, it lessened the knot in his throat. It wasn't enough, but it was something, and Ten would welcome any changes, no matter how small. His future depended on that.

He let his eyes wander around. They were in one of the castle’s courtyards, changed beyond recognition: it was one of the most spacious ones, located on the right side of the castle. Gone were the horses and men running from one side to the other. Instead, there were stands that took up almost the whole yard, positioned so that they would form a circle, the only space left available. The layout made sure everyone sat on those stands would have perfect view of those standing in the pit.

Beads of sweat ran down his temples and neck, pooling at the small of his back: the stands, tall as they were, prevented any kind of breeze from cooling their scorching skin. No one else seemed to mind that, however, even if Ten was sure they, too, were feeling the heat. Maybe up there the wind blew, refreshing them. Down in the pits, surrounded by noblemen and constantly stared at, it was almost unbearable. 

Ten shifted his weight from one foot to another, trying to ignore the way his shirt clung to his body, uncomfortably so. He pushed the feeling to the back of his mind, hoping that, if he didn't acknowledge it, it would somehow go away. It hadn't worked so far, his mind jumping from one thought to another, so fast it was almost dizzying, but that wouldn't stop him from trying.

Instead, he focused on the two men that were currently in the centre of the circle. Ten didn't know either of them, their skin and hair speaking of a northern heritage, who had most likely come south to try their luck. If he were to be honest, Ten highly doubted any of them would progress much further down the competition, but still, he stayed, observing the both of them as they circled each other, their grip on weapons steady. 

Ten had a feeling it wouldn't take much for the match to be over, and his suspicion was quickly proven to be right. The fight ended when the shortest of the two men threw the other to the ground, his fist connecting with his opponent's face with a sickening crunch. He was announced as the winner, and the defeated man was rushed away from the arena, bleeding profusely through his nose. He was barely able to stand on his own, and so he had to be dragged out of the courtyard by his armpits.

Sand was thrown over the blood to stop any further competitors from slipping unnecessarily, and the next pair was called in.

When Ten had heard the announcement for the second trial, he hadn’t been surprised: there were so many of them, they needed to sort out as fast as they could those who wouldn’t make it. While being able to realize whether a meal had been poisoned or not could be argued to be a somewhat less relevant ability, those tasked with the protection of the Crown Prince needed to be able to physically defend him. Thus, the competition had been prepared.

They would fight each other in pairs, the winner of each fight earning themselves a point, the looser staying as they were. By the end of the competition, only the ones placed in the first hundred spots would pass on to the next round. That would drastically reduce the number of participants, as well as all the expenses related to them.

Luckily, Ten was doing fine. Unluckily, he should be doing more than just _fine_.

He had tried, he really had, but the mindset he usually needed to get in whenever he fought seemed to scape him, slipping right through his fingers, as intangible as the mist that covered the castle during the night.

That, was something he simply couldn’t allow. If he wanted that position, if he wanted to prove himself worthy of it, he had to be the best, and so far, he was far from it.

Standing by one of the doors on the southernmost end of the courtyard, one of the guards subtly nodded in his direction and Ten smiled to himself before nodding back. Even from afar he could see Yukhei’s wide grin, blinding in all its glory, before he schooled back his features into a mask of indifference.

_“There’s no one as good as you for this job, Ten,” he had whispered just the day before, after he had found Ten pacing nervously along the castle, and had forced him to confess what was haunting him. “Everyone out there, all of those who have come, think they are the best, but they’re not._ You _are the best, and I don’t just think so, I know it, and you are going to go out there and sweep the floor with their faces, because they can’t compare to you. No one can.”_

Ten smiled at the memory. He had never seen Yukhei that serious, but the guard had been adamant about everything he had said, and he had turned into his main goal to make sure Ten knew at all times he believed in him, unconditionally so.

Silently, he thanked whoever had deigned him worthy of such a friend. Ten was sure that, if Yukhei had had that kind of ambition, he would have made a formidable adversary but, as it was, Yukhei was rather content with being a palace guard, and his only interest in the competition was to make sure to crush Ten into an inevitable hug when it ended.

Ten really wished it would be a congratulatory hug, instead of a consolation one, but he had a bad feeling, something he just couldn’t shake off. He felt as if he were standing on unstable ground, and the slightest of movements would send him down, so far he wouldn’t be able to stand up again.

Taeil had been worried, that morning. He had been worried all week, if he were to be honest, the crease between his brows deeper with every passing day. He hadn’t wanted to tell Ten what was that had him so concerned, but he had found out anyway. 

There were letters on Taeil’s table, reports that spoke of sightings of creatures that were rumoured to be long gone, beast with claws and venom and fire, the kind that made up nightmares. They said they were massive, destructive, and yet, they hadn’t been able to kill or trap not even one: as soon as they appeared, they were gone, vanished into thin air.

Worry and fatigue clouded Taeil’s face those days and, from what Ten had been able to see, Taeyong’s too, dark bags under his eyes, his skin sickly pale, as if he hadn’t been sleeping at all, and Ten couldn’t say he was surprised. That new threat added to the dark wizard and the impending blood moon, and if on their own they were fearsome, combined they might as well be their end.

Still, Ten tried to keep those thoughts at bay, and focus on the task at hand. There would be time to think about it, figure out what they were missing, later, but for his sake as well as for the sake of keeping his position at the competition, he would have to try and focus. He would be of no use to anyone injured.

Whenever his name was called, he would advance towards the spot meant for him, salute his opponent and fight. Ten didn’t retain names nor faces, all blending together in his mind, different variations of the same man, one just like Ten, eyes shining with determination, but not nearly as much desperation.

Slowly, Ten cut his way through his list, managing to put a stop to his thoughts, as he mechanically ducked and feinted and pushed, until he was the one left standing. 

“Focus, Ten, just do it,” he mumbled to himself, when he got off the pit after his second to last trial of the day. He had just narrowly avoided defeat against one of the kingdom’s knights: he had been sloppy and slow, and had only won out of sheer luck.

His magic sung to him, a powerful call, and so hard to resist. It would have been easier to win if he had given in, but instead he had to fight with himself as well as the other men. The more tired he got, the harder it was to resist temptation, to search for hidden aches and blind spots and use them to his advantage. Still, he resisted, even if the effort eroded his concentration: he would win fairly, or he wouldn’t win at all.

Sighing, Ten rolled his shoulders as he waited to be called for the last fight of the day. As time had passed, the stands had been slowly emptying themselves, as the least interested nobles grew bored and left to return to their daily routines. Most of the ones remaining were those who had a personal interest in the outcome of the matches, and the royal family. Or, at least, the Crown prince and his brother. 

Hendery’s face visibly brightened when he caught sight of Ten looking at them, his lips stretching into a wide grin as he excitedly waved at him. Ten waved too, fighting back a smile. Hendery’s wild moves caught Kun’s attention, who followed his line of sight to Ten. Kun nodded at him, a warm look in his eyes, before getting Hendery to return his attention to the pit.

At that moment, Ten's name was called. Sighing, he gripped his sword to fasten it around his middle.

"Jaehyun Jung," Ten's fingers stilled, the belt almost slipping from between them, before he regained his senses.

Raising his eyes, he looked as Jaehyun made his way to the circle, a pleasant smile plastered to his face. Ten mimicked him, walking calmly towards the pit. He had seen Jaehyun fight, had watched every single one of his matches. He was good, Ten had to give him that. He remained unbeaten, much like Ten but, unlike Ten, he hadn't seemed to struggle with his opponents. It wouldn't matter. Ten would win anyway, he had to.

Once they were both in position, they nodded at each other in silent acknowledgement. They unsheathed their swords, and waited for the signal that would commence the fight.

It didn't take long for that to happen and soon they were both circling each other, not once tearing their eyes away

Ten was the first to move forward to strike in a descending movement, but Jaehyun was waiting for him and he sidestepped him, bringing his sword up to try and catch Ten from the side. Ten was expecting something like that, however, and so twisted his body and metal encountered metal briefly, clashing loudly.

Ten's impulse caused them to break apart and Ten spun around on his heels to face Jaehyun once more. It was just on time, as Jaehyun was already charging against him and Ten could only duck to dodge the wide arch with which Jaehyun had moved his sword, narrowly avoiding getting his neck sliced.

Jaehyun swung his sword again and Ten practically had to throw himself to the floor to escape. As soon as he touched the ground, he rolled over, Jaehyun's sword diving in the space Ten had been occupying just a moment before. Ten pushed himself to his feet in the precious seconds it took Jaehyun to recover his sword, slicing Jaehyun's leg in the process, a shallow cut, but enough to draw blood. It sung to him, tempting, but Ten shook his head, pushed it away.

Jaehyun grunted, his leg wobbling, but he turned around, his grip around the swords pommel steady. Ten moved first, his sword moving upwards, and Jaehyun's found it in the middle. Both of them planted their feet on the floor, not wanting to be the one to give in, but height and strength were on Jaehyun's side and they both knew that. 

When Ten's arms started to falter, Jaehyun smiled and moved, pushing his sword upwards. The sudden change threw Ten off balance and Jaehyun took advantage of that, kicking at Ten's leg. It caused Ten to stagger back and, before he could recover, Jaehyun moved to strike. Ten ducked once again, but, still off-balance, he fell to the ground, sword clattering loudly behind him.

Ten scrambled to get away from Jaehyun, blindly trying to reach for his sword. There was a triumphant gleam in Jaehyun's eyes as he strode forward, confidently raising his sword. Ten's fingers closed around his own weapon at the same time Jaehyun lowered his. Uncaring, almost desperately, Ten swung his sword, not even caring to try and stop the blow from coming, his eyes fixated on Jaehyun's blade.

The tip of it stopping right in front of Ten's neck, resting against his pulse point. Ten closed his sword, letting out a shaky breath.

"It's a tie!" Someone to their left proclaimed.

Ten opened his eyes, stared at Jaehyun's confused expression. He saw him look down, his face losing all colour: leaning against his inner thigh, was Ten's sword. Ten smiled, almost in disbelief, and dropped his sword. Jaehyun did the same.

"In order to have a clear winner, we will give you a couple of minutes to rest, and then the fighting will resume. If it still ends up being a tie, then both of you will receive a point," the same man from before said.

Ten couldn't bring himself to care, rushing to get some water to drink. A part of him was relieved he hadn't lost. Another wished he could finally rest. 

"You can do better than that."

Ten jumped, spilling on himself the water he was drinking. Couching, he turned around to glare at Kun, who had somehow appeared right by his side. His eyes shone with mischief.

"Excuse me?"

Kun snorted. "I've seen you fight before, Ten. I know you can do better than this, I know you can beat him."

Raising an eyebrow, Ten glanced at Jaehyun, sat on the opposite corner, before returning his eyes to Kun.

"I didn't expect you to come here and cheer on me like this," he replied, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Of course I would, Ten," Kun refuted, his eyes softening. "I am not fond of you taking part in this, but I've always known I wouldn't want anyone but you protecting me, and that hasn't changed," Kun's hand hovered in the air above Ten's, but he stopped just shy of touching him, instead letting his hand fall by his side. "Besides, maybe that will convince him to go. So, go out there and destroy him, Ten. That's an order," he said, mirth returning to his eyes.

"Of course, my prince," Ten replied, his voice filled with glee.

Giving Ten one final smile, Kun turned around and went back to his seat. 

Once he was sat on his throne, the signal was given for both Jaehyun and Ten to return to the circle. Ten's body groaned in protest and, judging by Jaehyun's clenched teeth, his body did too, but Ten found that he didn't mind it as much, not when he had something else fueling his movements, giving him the strength he lacked.

After saluting each other once again, Jaehyun and Ten returned to their positions, their swords raised and ready. The bell rang and they both jumped forward, their weapons finding each other in the middle. The movement brought them close, so close their foreheads almost touched each other, before their own momentum separated them.

Ten took a step back to asses the situation, try and find a new angle from which to approach Jaehyun, but the latter didn't give him a moment to catch his breath. He lurched forward, forcing Ten to adopt a defensive position, his sword constantly moving, barely a blur. Every strike sent ripples of shock through Ten's arms, Jaehyun's greater strength causing Ten's arms to start trembling the more he blocked his hits. Jaehyun seemed to have learned his lesson, or maybe he was just growing desperate, having decided his best option was to force Ten to retreat until there was nowhere left to go.

It was working, so far. Jaehyun wouldn't stop moving, causing Ten to be constantly defending himself, not having a chance to break the rhythm. With every strike, every blow and step he took, he was making Ten get closer to the edge of the circle, and as soon as Ten put a foot out of it, the trial would finish, and he would have lost.

If Ten didn't want that to happen, he would have to move, and move fast. Gritting his teeth together, his arms trembling with exertion, he did just that: when Jaehyun raised his sword to strike him from above, Ten waited, not moving to meet Jaehyun's weapon, as if he had grown too tired to do so. 

Instead, he stayed where he was until the last second. Then, Ten moved out of the way, using his speed and Jaehyun's own force to his advantage. Not finding the target he had been expecting, Jaehyun sword continued his descent, firmly sticking itself to the ground, before Jaehyun could do anything to stop it.

It wasn't much, but the few seconds of reprieve Ten managed to steal while Jaehyun descaled his sword from the ground were enough for him to finally breathe, and try to get the upper hand for once.

As Jaehyun turned around to meet him, Ten launched himself forward, swinging his sword to clash it against Jaehyun's, driving it out of the way. Then, he kicked at Jaehyun's injured leg. He didn't get to hit the cut, but it must have been close enough, for Jaehyun stumbled, his face contorting in pain. 

Firmly grasping the sword's pommel between his hands, Ten lashed forward, mimicking the position Jaehyun had had him before. Ten's strikes might not have been as strong as Jaehyun's, but they were faster, precise, enough so to have Jaehyun scrambling to follow, narrowly avoiding being sliced in half by Ten.

Drops of sweat rolled down his temples, forcing him to continuously blink, to avoid getting them in his eyes. Jaehyun was in no better shape, his shirt plastered to his body. Their heavy breathing was the only sound to be heard, everyone around them completely silent, following their movements with avidity. 

To their right, the Sun was starting its slow descent down the sky, shadows slowly but surely growing bigger. Soon, they would make them stop, declaring them to be tied, but Ten didn't want that.

Gritting his teeth, Ten steeled himself for what he was about to do. He'd done it before, to Lucas, who was taller and broader than Jaehyun, and it had worked. Sometimes, it had worked. Ten hoped it would work then as well.

Ten kept his eyes fixed to Jaehyun's face, observing him as Jaehyun himself didn't take his eyes from Ten. He was completely focused on him, on the slightest of movements, and Ten took that to his advantage.

He changed his weight from foot to foot, Jaehyun's eyes tracking the motion, and moved as if he were to strike Jaehyun's left side. Jaehyun tensed, arm raising to protect himself from an attack that didn't come. It wasn't much, barely a fraction of a second, but it was enough for him to stop looking at Ten, which was all he needed.

Crouching slightly, Ten threw himself forward, his right shoulder colliding against Jaehyun's stomach. The impact took away Jaehyun's breath and sent a ripple of pain through Ten's shoulder, but Ten ignored it, and snaked his arms around Jaehyun's torso, as if he was hugging him. The speed and force Ten carried made them fall to the ground, Jaehyun's body cushioning Ten's own fall. 

Jaehyun's grip on his sword slipped when his head hit the ground, and Ten's sword got trapped under Jaehyun, but Ten didn't try to retrieve it. Not giving him time to reach, Ten freed his arm, and punched him until Jaehyun's gaze turned unfocused. Still, Jaehyun wouldn't go down without a fight and he wrapped one hand around Ten's neck, squeezing and stopping the flow of air to his lungs.

It was enough to make Ten stop hitting him, instead clawing at his arm, in a desperate attempt to make Jaehyun release him. Ten leaned towards the left, stretching his hand as he desperately tried to get away, blindly searching for something. Finally, when black dots had started to cloud his vision, his hand touched something cold, metallic, and, with relief flooding his veins, Ten curled his fingers around the foreign pommel of Jaehyun's sword. Blindly, his burning lungs about to burst, he raised it, and brought it to Jaehyun's neck, the edge so closely pressed to his skin that the sole act of breathing could have been enough to draw blood.

For a moment, none of them moved, both staying as still as statues. Then, Jaehyun uncurled his fingers from around Ten's neck, and let his hands drop to the ground. Letting out a shaky breath, Ten dropped the sword and pushed himself off Jaehyun.

Ten barely heard the voice that declared him the winner nor did he hear the round that applause that followed it, not over the sound of his heart, each thump deafening in his own ears, the relief taking over him. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he made out a familiar mop of dark hair, jumping up and down as he enthusiastically applauded. Beside him, a taller figure, with a warm smile and a proud look on his face, clapped too.

Smiling broadly, unable to contain his glee, Ten stood up and extended his hand towards Jaehyun to help him rise. Jaehyun's expression was dark, his lips pressed into a thin line as he took in Ten's hand, the applause directed at him. For a second, Jaehyun's mask had fallen, a crack in his armour, and he didn't seem pleased, his usually pleasant smile and everpresent dimples replaced by anger. 

It didn't last long, and Ten was sure he was the only one who had noticed what had happened, for Jaehyun wrapped his hand against Ten's, standing up with a small smile. He earned himself more shouting and clapping when he raised his arm in salute.

"Congratulations," he told Ten, dipping his chin ever so slightly. The movement was stiff, but Ten couldn't find it in himself to care.

"Thank you," he replied instead, nodding back. "It was a good fight," he added, honestly.

Jaehyun stared pensively at Ten. Then, his smile turned a bit broader.

"It was. I hope I will be able to redeem myself in the future."

Ten opened his mouth to reply, but before he had the chance to say anything, a loud sound startled them all. It was a flapping noise, similar to the one of a bird flying, but it was louder, much louder, like a thousand flocks flying in perfect synchrony. 

The nobles stopped clapping, hushed whispers of worry spreading among them. Kun put a hand on Hendery's shoulder, bringing him closer to himself, and Ten and Jaehyun spun around, trying to locate the source of the noise. It didn't take them long to do so. Ten wished he was dreaming, his throat suddenly dry.

Behind them, a large figure was approaching, its shadow covering them all. It was a massive beast, appeared out of nowhere, with wings that reminded Ten of those of a bat, except they were a hundred times bigger, and ended with sharp talons. 

Ten had never seen one of them before, none of them had, but they didn't need to. They had all been told the same stories as they grew up, stories about creatures made of darkness and fire, a scaly body that could resist most human weapons, jaws capable of tearing apart whole trees like it were nothing, an appetite so voracious they had wiped out entire cities: a dragon.

It descended upon them, perching itself on the battlement, its claws drilling holes into the rock. The body ended in a tail, one that moved around incessantly, crashing against the castle walls each blow threatening to bring them down.

No one dared move. They were all holding their breaths, staying as still as they could, as if that would stop the dragon from seeing them, as if that would spare their lives.

The dragon turned its long neck, stared at them all, its amber eyes shining like molten gold. There was a flash of human-like intelligence buried deep in those eyes, lurking there, something centuries-old and twisted, taunting them as it looked at them, but before any of them could think about it, the dragon opened its jaw and roared. 

The sound was deafening, and it caused all the animals in the vicinity to trash around in fear, birds taking off as fast as they could. It was enough to break the spell that seemed to have settled over them, as people cried and shouted, running in all directions. Some, pale and shaken, scrambled to get to their weapons, decided to fight the dragon. Most tried to get as far away from it as possible.

"We need to get up there," Jaehyun shouted, looking at Ten.

Ten nodded, tearing his eyes away from the dragon. He started to head towards the dragon when a familiar voice behind him made him stop dead in his tracks.

"Get him out of here!" The voice shouted. Ten turned around, ignoring the pain that caused him and found Kun pushing Hendery down towards the arms of the guards, Yukhei among them. Hendery trashed against Kun's grip and it was with dread that Ten realized it was because he knew Kun didn't intend on following him.

His feet moved on their own accord and Ten sprinted to the stands, Jaehyun hot on his heels. They were halfway there when the dragon roared again, flapping its wings, the sudden wind caused by them throwing both Jaehyun and Ten to the ground.

Turning around, Ten looked at the dragon and his blood froze in his veins: the dragon’s eyes shone in something like recognition as he stared directly at Kun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've liked this chapter. I don't really know how to write fighting scenes and this one has plenty, as you can see, so I hope it hasn't been too confusing?  
> I'd really appreciate it if you could tell me how you're liking the story so far, because I've hit a bump with this chapter and it has taken me a whole month to write it, and it would be really helpful if you could tell me anything about the story so far.  
> I really hope you've enjoyed it <3  
> Comments and kudos warm my heart ^^
> 
> [Blood moon playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6vtgk0yRg9WRedZzP0JaWS) || [tw](https://twitter.com/monstaruniverse) || [cc](https://curiouscat.me/Val_99)
> 
> \- Val


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my lovely readers! Finally, I'm back with another chapter of this fic, which signals we're in the last third of it! I'm sorry the updating schedule has been so irregular lately, but as always, I do promise I will finish this fic, no matter how long it takes me. I just hope you're enjoying it.  
> This chapter picks up exactly where the last one left it, and I shall add some trigger warnings, mainly for blood. There's fighting in this chapter, thus blood. It's not much, but it's there.  
> This said, I hope you'll enjoy the chapter

Kun and the dragon stared at each other. Kun was so small and frail next to the beast, with it’s scales shining like bronze under the Sun, seemingly invincible. Ten saw it, the soldiers around the dragon, trying to divert its attention from the royal, but to no avail. They were little more than flies for the dragon, who ignored them like they weren’t even there, swatting them with its tail when they got too close. Their swords were nothing but toys to the creature, barely even leaving indentations, even when swung as hard as they could.

Kun saw it too, his face paling with every passing second. The prince’s eyes flickered to the dragon’s claws, curled and vicious, as long as his forearm, before flickering back to the dragon’s face.

Fear shone in Kun’s eyes. Fear, and determination.

Taking advantage of the shock that had taken over Hendery, as he found himself under the watchful eye of the dragon, Kun managed to push his brother away. Hendery didn’t realize it until Yukhei had his arms around him, firmly pressed against his chest. It was then that he tried to break free but Yukhei just held him more firmly, refusing to let go. 

At Kun’s nod, Yukhei forcefully dragged Hendery away, the child not a match for his strength, even as he trashed desperately, screaming loudly as he reached for his brother, refusing to go. When Kun saw Hendery was safe, or as safe as anyone could be, he turned again to face the dragon, alone on the stands, as most as the nobles had fled as fast their legs would carry them.

Slowly, Kun’s hand made its way to the pommel of his sword, his fingers curling tightly around it. The dragon followed the movement with his eyes, before tilting his enormous head to the side, the movement extremely familiar.

Then, it let out a roar, and lashed forward, moving its arm towards Kun, almost too fast to see. A collective scream left their throats as Kun threw himself to the ground, sword forgotten, and rolled to avoid being cut in half by the dragon’s claws. Claws that went hissing in a blur, slicing the air just above Kun, centimetres away from where his head had been mere seconds before.

Kun rolled to a stop, pale, so pale, as he took in the dragon, its claws and teeth as he growled at him. A myriad of expressions passed through his face, before settling on a mixture of pain and resignation, the prince aware he was looking death in the eye.

As Ten stood there, watching the dragon looming over Kun, time seemed to pause. It was as if he were underwater once again, so close and yet too far, the water above him keeping him down, distorting the image. 

Time slowed to a stop. 

He could hear the others scream, yell at each other to protect the prince, struggling to run towards him, but the dragon's claws tore through their flesh like it was paper-thin, blood spraying everywhere. One after the other, they fell, no match for the dragon.

Beside him, Jaehyun ran towards Kun, even if they both knew he'd never reach the Crown prince in time. 

Ten stood unmoving, his eyes fixated on the dragon, then on Kun. He knew he ought to do something. He also knew nothing they could do would be enough, not against the dragon, not a creature from myths and legends, born from magic. 

But maybe, magic would do. Maybe, Ten would do, even if it would bring him down in the process. 

Breathing in, Ten reached out with his mind, expanding his consciousness like Yoohyeon had taught him, like he had done, once. He swept the courtyard, skipping over the dying guards, the unmoving, lifeless forms. 

Blood sang to him at that moment and Ten forced himself to listen. 

There was so much he could do, then, more than he had ever imagined, but he resisted the need to help, knowing it would cost him some precious seconds that he couldn't afford himself to lose. 

Diving deeper, he dug until he found what he was looking for, the thread that bound living beings together. He ignored those that were broken, dull, and searched for the ones that shone brightly in the dark. His mind brushed past Kun, and Ten breathed in, relieved, as the brief touch told him his friend was unharmed, even if scared. 

Then, he continued his quest, slipping in and out the darkness, dancing around the shattered remains of the guards. 

He finally found what he was looking for, and he extended his hand to grab the threads that were the dragon. 

At first, he couldn't do it. They escaped him, growing and diminishing in size, from a dragon to a human to something bigger to something smaller. Like the flame of a candle, it flickered and moved, as if propelled by an invisible wind. 

Clenching his teeth, Ten wrapped the threads around his fingers, so tightly it hurt, as if the pressure would be enough to chop them off, and pulled.

He pulled with all his might and strength, he pulled until his fingers pulsed to the rhythm of his heartbeat, until they screamed in pain and some more. He pulled and pulled, until he felt something give in under his hands, and the dragon let out a roar in agony and whipped his head to stare right at him.

Ten let out a shaky breath when he found himself under the dragon's vigilant eyes, his vertical pupils focused on him. Scattered around the creature, the soldiers looked at each other, surprised they were still alive. Their expressions turned scared when they saw who held the dragon's attention, when they took in Ten's hands, bathed in the red light that shone from within.

For a moment, no one moved, everyone petrified in their positions. Then, the soldiers seemed to remember the weapons in their hands and moved, trying to get an advantage over the dragon while they still could.

The dragon's tail barrelled against them, throwing the guards to the ground like they were nothing, it’s head never once turning away Ten.

Ten could feel it in his bones, in his blood, as he stared into the dragon's amber eyes. Witch or not, the moment the dragon moved, he'd go down too, felled by its vicious claws. He had one chance, and only one chance, to try and save Kun.

Ten's eyes flickered to look at Kun, who was still lying on the floor, petrified under the dragon. His head was turned to the right, focused on his brother, whom Yukhei had managed to drag to the far end of the pit.

Ten breathed in, deeply, and his gaze met Jaehyun's. The nobleman was pale, his chest heaving, eyes shining in recognition when he took in Ten's hands. Ten could see it then, the cogs turning in Jaehyun’s head as he rearranged everything he knew about Ten. Jaehyun pressed his lips into a thin line. Gripping his sword tightly, he nodded, and Ten nodded back, an unspoken agreement between them. 

Jaehyun turned to face the dragon once again.

Against his better judgement, Ten closed his eyes, trusting that Jaehyun would grant him the cover he needed. He briefly brushed his fingers against his pendant, hoping it would give him the strength he sought and then, he plunged into the darkness.

He dove deep, deeper than he had dared, deeper than he had done anytime before, until the only thing he could taste, smell, feel, was his magic, a living entity inside him, wrapped tightly around his very heart and soul. He let it surround him, imbue his consciousness. 

It was almost like being back in that pond, like he was a boy once again. Nothing could reach him save for the magic around him, all the protection he’d ever need. 

It was a peaceful, bottomless lake, but somehow Ten knew that, if he ever needed it, if he ever called for it, it would come to life, a storm so great it would obliterate absolutely everything.

Calmly, like he had all the time in the world, Ten secured his grip on the threads and pulled. Not a tug to divert the dragon's attention, like he had done before, but a pull meant to tear and break, to pluck them out of the dragon until it fell down, a puppet with no strings.

As he pulled, Ten visualized it, the blood and muscles and bones, organs and tissues that kept the body working. He imagined it all, so vividly he could almost taste it, feel it under his fingertips, and then willed it to come undone.

The dragon roared, half in pain, half in outrage, and Ten would have sworn the creature knew what he was doing. He pulled at the threads that were the dragon until he felt a resistance, too great for him to bring down, but still he pulled, until he could feel himself shake with the effort.

The sudden commotion made him open his eyes, to find the dragon advancing towards him, Kun forgotten behind him. Ten made sure his friend was dragged to safety before going back to look at the creature. It was so close he could see it, the pain contorting its features, shining from the depth of its eyes, a pain greater than the dragon had ever felt.

He could feel it too, life escaping him, bleeding out of him as he tugged at the dragon’s strings, exhausting himself beyond the point of return. 

Ten smirked. If he was going to go down, he would drag the dragon with him to the underworld.

Ignoring the screaming around him, Ten focused on the magic, and willed it to work faster, causing the dragon to cry out again. Its eyes shone, filled with something that looked like a wish for revenge, almost as if it knew what was happening, what Ten was doing to its body, and it, too, was determined to bring the witch down with it’s dying breath. 

Ten was almost there, could almost see the light at the end of the tunnel, when the dragon suddenly moved, bringing its tail against Ten and sending him flying against the wall. Ten crashed against it, the impact leaving him breathless and dizzy, his back groaning in pain, iron coating his tongue. Everything spun around him and Ten lost his concentration, the threads slipping from his fingers before he could do anything to stop it.

Dizzy and unable to stand up, Ten looked at the dragon from where he was sprawled against the wall. The dragon was glowing under the dying Sun, bathed in hues of coper. It was a breathtaking sight and Ten found that he wouldn’t mind it too much if that was the way things ended. He only wished he’d had more time, had been able to be better for Kun, but he had done everything that was in his power. He hoped that would be enough.

Closing his eyes, he waited for the final blow, the one that would put an end to everything. The one that never came.

Somewhere behind the dragon, someone shouted and Ten opened his eyes to find the dragon turning its head to the side, its eyes fixated on something beyond the wall. Snarling, it shook its head and spread its wings, causing more terrified shouting to be heard. 

Ten watched in confusion as the dragon gave him one last look before shooting up to the skies, ascending until it was nothing but a dot barely distinguishable against the darkening sky. 

The dragon was gone, as fast as it had appeared. Behind, it left a trail of death and destruction and amidst it, a broken witch.

With frantic eyes, Ten searched for Kun, and breathed in, relieved, when he found him unharmed, well-protected between a wall of soldiers, so thick he could barely see him at all. Through the doors, a new wave of soldiers came in, their faces dark.

Groaning, Ten managed to stand up and he took a step forward. Before he even took a second one, he found himself staring down a line of swords that, despite the shakiness of some, were all directed at him.

Ten took in a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He let his eyes wander around the faces around him. Some of them he knew, some he didn’t, but all had matching expressions, fear lighting their eyes and contorting their features.

Briefly closing his eyes, Ten tried to push down the knot in his throat, breath past the bitterness that was invading his mind. He then heard the shuffling of feet and raised his head, watching as Taeyong made his way towards him, Taeil hurrying behind him

For a moment, Ten let himself entertain the idea that Taeyong would make it better, that he would tell the soldiers to stand down and would get him out of there. Snorting, he let the fantasy crumble to dust after an instant of consideration. 

He knew those people, what he thought about people like him. He wouldn’t put it past them that those on the courtyard had shouted at the sight of Taeyong because they knew he’d rid them of Ten, the “true danger”, despite the fact he had been trying to protect them all.

“Taeyong,” he let out through his bloodied lips.

“Ten,” was the brief reply. Taeyong’s face was grim, drained of blood and energy, as his eyes jumped from Ten to the ones of the soldiers around him. He pressed his lips into a tight line, “you’ve used blood magic, in the presence of witnesses and the princes.”

“To protect the princes and said witnesses,” he pointed out, even if he knew he would be ignored. Ten tried to look at Taeil, silently conveying his apologies at what had happened. Taeil’s eyes softened, filled with sadness.

“You’ve used blood magic, nonetheless, and for that I’m afraid you have to be punished accordingly,” Ten’s eyes shot back to Taeyong, widening slightly. “Soldiers, take the blood witch Ten to the dungeons and make sure no one can contact him. He is to be held there until the sentence is carried out.”

Ten jumped when he felt hands closing around his forearms, whipping his head to stare at Taeyong in disbelief.

“What is the sentence?” Taeil asked slowly, Ten’s eyes searching Taeyong’s face for the answer. Wordlessly, Taeyong turned his head to the side, eyes cast down, unable to meet Ten’s.

“No!” Ten trashed against the soldiers’ grip but he was weak, too much to fight, and the harder he tried to, the more hands came to hold him down, swords being brought close to his skin to subdue him.

“What? You can’t do this!” Taeil cried out, spluttering.

“I’m sorry, Taeil, but it’s the law,” Taeyong replied, his voice almost expressionless. “As the blood moon approaches the king and queen do not wish to make things easy for the blood witch, for any of them.”

“I was trying to protect all of you!” Ten screamed, even as the soldiers dragged him away. His cries started to attract attention and Ten saw out of the corner of his eye Kun fighting his own soldiers to get closer.

“You can’t do this to him, he wasn’t even born when the last blood moon happened!” Taeil replied. Ten could hear him trailing behind them, desperately pleading for him.

“Do you think I enjoy this, Taeil?” Taeyong spat out. “I’m doing what needs to be done, what I’ve been told to do and you better do the same unless you want to be incarcerated too for hiding a blood witch in this castle.”

Despite Taeyong’s words, Taeil ran to the front of the group, trying to catch a glimpse of Ten. Their eyes met for a moment and Ten saw it in them, that Taeil would be willing to do anything to save him. Ten knew too that that would only end with both of them in chains.

He shook his head in silence and watched as the little light that was left in Taeil’s eyes extinguished, leaving the older man empty. Before he was dragged away, Ten mouthed a name at Taeil, confident in the knowledge he’d know what Ten was asking of him to do.

Then, he lost sight of Taeil and exhaustion hit him like a wave. The last thing he heard before losing consciousness were footsteps behind him, a familiar voice screaming his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Ten :( He deserved better after everything he did, doesn't he?  
> This is it for today's chapter, I hope you've enjoyed it! Do you have any theories? What do you think will happen next? If there's anything you want to say or anything you didn't understand, please do tell me! I'll try to be back as soon as possible but in the meantime, let's discuss!  
> Comments and kudos warm my heart <3
> 
> [Blood moon playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6vtgk0yRg9WRedZzP0JaWS) || [tw](https://twitter.com/monstaruniverse) || [cc](https://curiouscat.me/Val_99)
> 
> \- Val


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there. It's been a month since I last updated and I'm sorry about it. I don't really have any reason for it, I had deadlines to meet and such but for some reason this whole chapter has just been really hard to write. I'm not sure how I even feel about it but it's here! If everything goes according to plan, we only have about four more chapters to go and then this fic will finally be finished, so I hope you're enjoying it so far.

Ten rested his head against the wall and sighed. The air that escaped his lips turned into small white clouds, and it had been like that for a while. He thought he would get used to if eventually, but the cold had seeped into his bones, making him uncomfortable and sending shivers down his spine, and he didn't think it was going to change any time soon. 

The time he had spent out had been a small reprieve, even if it had been almost as bad. 

He had been granted a trial, in front of the court and the monarchs, who were out for the first time in months. 

The king had taken one look at him with his tired, soulless eyes, and Ten had known the verdict, long before the king's words left Taeyong's lips, sealing his fate. 

Ten had been unable to look at Taeyong, or meet Kun's eyes, a mix of shame and fear that stopped him from looking up. He had only done so once, as he was being taken back to his cell, and he knew the haunted look in Kun's face would never leave him. Down there, alone, it was the only thing keeping him company. That, and Taeil's expression as the guards dragged him away.

Even then, he couldn’t find it in himself to regret what had happened. He knew he’d do it time and time again, even if it let him to that same outcome. Walking away, not trying everything he possibly could to stop that dragon… It wasn’t worth it, even if it came at the expense of his own life. He knew he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he had let any of those people be hurt, or killed, when he could have done something to stop it.

They would never appreciate it, the fear of blood magic and its users ingrained in their souls and bones, but he would still do it. He just hoped Taeil would be well and wouldn’t be punished for taking care of Ten during all those years. He also hoped Yoohyeon and the rest of the coven were safe, that they hadn’t been discovered.

The trial hadn’t been pleasant, as the verdict itself hadn’t been either. Kun had tried to speak on Ten’s behalf, but neither the Council not the king bothered to pretend they cared about their words, and Taeyong had merely shot them a sad look before turning his back on them too. 

It had been hard to watch, the way Kun’s face crumpled when he realized no one would really listen to him. Ten had tried to convey he didn’t hold it against him, that he could stop trying, but he didn’t think Kun had really accepted it.

And Ten? Ten had been thrown into the dungeons, alone and isolated for days. There, among the cold dark, it had been easy to accept his fate, to accept he’d never see the blood moon, he’d never get to learn with Yoohyeon’s coven or get the answer he sought from Taeil. It had been easy to accept he’d never see the day in which his fantasies would definitely whither and die, that he’d never get to see this world. 

It had been easy to accept those would be his last days. It hadn’t been as easy to accept that he would go and that he wouldn’t get to see the Sun or Taeil or Kun one last time.

Ten sighed and shook his head, trying to get rid of those ideas, focus on something different. 

It was hard to tell day from night while locked up underground, and so he had lost track of the time that had passed, and all questions he had asked had been ignored by the guards that stood by his door. The silence was growing oppressive, his own thoughts deafening to himself.

In fact, he almost jumped when he heard a low grumble coming from the door. It was too low, too unintelligible for him to make any words at first, but after a few seconds, Ten decided to tentatively approach the door.

“Yes?” As soon as the word left his mouth, Ten felt utterly stupid, but it wasn’t like he knew what was going on.

“Ten,” the voice behind the door replied. Ten recognized the deep tone.

“Yukhei?”

“Yes. Listen, we don’t have much time. I just want you to know that I know you were just trying to help us. You don’t deserve this, Ten. Blood witch or not… You don’t deserve it,” Ten nodded, feeling numb, before he remembered Yukhei couldn’t see him.

“Thank you,” he said. “It means a lot,” it wasn’t a lie, but what he would truly like would be for Yukhei to let him out. Immediately, Ten’s mind went to Yukhei’s family, the one he worked so hard to sustain, and Ten shook his head. It wasn’t a fair thing to ask or even expect from Yukhei, and so he bit his tongue. “Thank you,” he repeated.

There was a muffled sound from the other side, like Yukhei was absentmindedly knocking on the wall, thinking about something.

“Listen, I’m going to give you five minutes,” Ten frowned, confused, even if Yukhei couldn’t see him. “I don’t know what you’ll do with them but he was very persuasive so…,” Yukhei let out a nervous chuckle and Ten could practically see him, running his hands through his hair, the image almost enough to make him smile. “Just… Whatever happens, good luck, Ten. I’ll be here for whatever you may need, I hope you know that.”

“Yukhei?” But the sound of Ten’s words was drowned in the squeak the door made when it moved, slowly being opened, and Ten didn’t get a response. The door opened and someone stepped inside. “Yukhei, what…?” Ten stopped speaking before he could finish the sentence, for the person in front of him was not Yukhei. “Kun.”

The prince brought a finger to his lips and quickly stepped into the cell, closing the door behind him, even if not completely. Ten stood dumbfounded, still not sure his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him.

“We don’t have much time,” the prince said, once the sound of Yukhei’s footsteps disappeared down the hallway. Kun’s voice was enough to break Ten free from his reverie.

“What are you doing, Kun? You shouldn’t be here, you’ll get into trouble!”

Kun let out a dark, humourless chuckle at that.

“I’m the crown prince, Ten. Do you really think I could get into that much trouble? More importantly, do you really think I care about that?”

Ten took a step back, surprised by the bitterness in Kun’s words.

“You could and honestly, you should. You can’t be caught here, Kun.”

“See, Ten, that’s what you never fully understood,” Kun replied, as if Ten hadn’t said anything. “You don’t get to be the only who risks something for the other. You say you care about me and you don’t want anything to harm me, but you can’t accept the idea that, maybe, it goes both ways. And I know that if I were here and you were out you’d do everything you could to get me out so why do you expect me to stand aside when it’s you on the line?”

Ten didn’t know how to answer at first. His mouth hung open as he stared at Kun, speechless, before he recovered from the impact of listening to Kun’s words. He took a step back, running his hands through his hair, greasy after many days without a proper bath, but Ten couldn’t find it in him to care.

“Because you’re you and I’m me, Kun! That’s why!”

“And what is that even supposed to me?” Kun hissed, enraged, taking one step closer to Ten.

Frustrated, Ten spun around, unable to face Kun. He breathed in deeply, trying to calm his racing heart, before turning around once again to look at his best friend.

“You matter, Kun! You are the crown prince, you are important and loved and, and… You matter! To more people than I ever will and much more than I ever will!”

Kun’s eyes widened and he stilled. He looked as if he had been struck, and Ten had been the one to deal the blow.

“You can’t possibly think that, Ten.”

Ten bit his lip and shook his head, his eyes shut for a brief moment. He feelt a bitter laugh crawling up his throat and he found it funny just how easily their positions have been reversed, as if it wasn’t Kun the one laughing, just mere seconds before.

“You know I do, Kun. I’m a blood witch, born in the most cursed night there is. I’m a nobody and you are everything that I’m not. You shouldn’t risk your life or your status for me,” he replies, his voice low, broken.

“You matter, Ten,” Kun contradicted him, firmly shaking his head. “You matter even if you can’t see it. It doesn’t matter when you were born, not to me.”

“Well, maybe it should,” Ten interrupted him, his lips pressed into a thin line. Kun’s eyes hardened at that.

“It doesn’t,” he said, almost growling. “You are not responsible for being born one day or another and you don’t bring bad luck to others, I don’t care what other may say,” Ten opened his mouth to reply, but Kun was faster than him. “And if the day you’re born in matters so much, then you shouldn’t be close to me either,” he said, his tone turning dark. Ten couldn’t keep his confusion away from his face, and Kun smiled, barely a tilt of his lips that Ten hated from the moment it appeared. “Do you know why my parents are so worried about the next blood moon? Not because of what might come next or the plagues that have been affecting our land, the real reason, the royal’s family best kept secret.”

“I don’t,” Ten replied, carefully, not tearing his eyes away from his friend’s face. Kun’s smile broadened.

“If you listen to what the people have to say, my family might be cursed too. _I_ might be cursed because I was not born when everyone thinks I was. I was born two days earlier than that,” Kun saw it in Ten’s face, the exact moment in which he registered that information and understood what he was trying to say. “If you are cursed, I am too, Ten.”

For a moment, Ten couldn’t do anything but stare at Kun, as if he could found the answers to all his questions written in Kun’s face. Then, he shook his head, trying to get rid of the confusion that plagued his mind.

“You’re lying,” he whispered.

“You know I’m not, Ten,” Kun replied with a sad smile. He spoke as if he found it hard to get the words out, as if the lump in his throat stopped him, too, from breathing properly. “So tell me, am I cursed?” Ten shook his head, still in shock. “Would that stop you from helping me, even if I was? Would you leave me here to rot? Would you tell the world the truth, that their prince might as well be a fraud?”

“What are you talking about, Kun? You know I’d never do that!” Ten managed to say, the rage he felt upon hearing Kun’s words enough to lift the fog that clouded his mind.

“Then accept that I won’t do that to you either! Accept that and leave this place before it’s too late!”

Kun took a step forward, wrapping his fingers around Ten’s wrist. At the same time, Ten took a step back, keeping the distance between them, even if he did nothing to break free from the grip Kun had on him.

“When they see I’m gone, they’ll go after you, or Taeil.”

“Taeil’s safe, he’s having a very public dinner right now, with dozens of witnesses that can testify where he is,” Kun replied, cutting Ten before he could say anything else. “They have him closely watched in case he attempted something like this, they wouldn’t even let him leave the castle with Taeyong this morning, not like he wanted to leave, not with you here.”

Ten tried to breathe past that, past the knowledge that Taeil was suffering because of him, because he had protected him, had dared care for Ten, the blood witch. He couldn’t let that cloud his judgement.

“Then you know it’s you, Kun! Everyone knows I don’t have many friends here, I can’t put you in danger!”

Impatient, Kun tugged at Ten’s arm, forcing him to move. In other circumstances, Ten would have offered more resistance than he offered at that moment, but he was weak, and tired, and so he stumbled behind Kun.

“I don’t care, Ten! I want you out of here as soon as possible, and don’t you worry about me, nothing would happen to me but even if they did, Jaehyun is more than willing to offer me an alibi.”

“Jaehyun?” Ten repeated, unable to keep the doubt and mistrust from seeping into his voice.

“Yes, Jaehyun. He doesn’t want you here either. He, too, thinks it’s unfair you’re here when all you did was help us,” Kun must have grown tired of forcefully dragging Ten down the corridor, away from the cell and the door that would lead to the castle, for he stopped, and turned to stare at Ten. The moment their eyes met, Kun’s face softened considerably, visible even in the dim lit corridor. “Please Ten. Just go, at least until everyone calms down.”

“Kun…” Ten started, his eyes darting away from Kun’s face, not wanting to see what he saw written there, in the way Kun’s eyes shone or the lines around his lips.

“Ten, please,” the desperation in Kun’s soft voice broke Ten’s heart. “I love you too much to see you hanged.”

At that, Ten wiped his head to look at Kun, his breath knocked out of his lungs. What he saw in Kun’s eyes made his heart stop for a second, before it resumed it’s beating faster than it had before. 

Ten hadn’t been prepared to see his own emotions reflected on Kun’s face.

“Kun…” Ten found that he was unable to say anything other than Kun’s name, a prayer and a curse at the same time.

“Will you leave, Ten, please?” Kun begged, coming closer still. “If not for you then for us? For Taeil and Yukhei and me? Will you do it for me?”

Ten closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to still his racing hear. He let his head fall back for a brief second before he nodded, defeated. He had never stood a chance against Kun, not really, not ever.

“Thank you,” Kun whispered, his breath fanning over Ten’s face, and Ten opened his eyes, only to find Kun closer than he had been before.

Slowly, as if to give Ten a chance to step back if he so wanted to, Kun leaned forward. Ten stood as still as a statue.

It wasn’t until Kun’s lips brushed against Ten’s cheek, just shy of his mouth, that Ten reacted. Before he could give himself time to think about what he was doing, Ten turned his head to the side, his lips connecting with Kun’s.

Kun froze and Ten panicked, thinking he had read it all wrong, that his only act of bravery would mark the beginning of the end of his friendship with Kun. His mind was going through all the excuses he could think of, when Kun moved again, burying his hands in Ten’s hair and bringing him closer.

It was Ten’s turn to freeze then, but something in him, something that had been waiting for far too long for that to happen, spurred him into action, making him place his hands on Kun’s waist, kiss him back with all he had.

The kiss was over much sooner than either of them would have wanted it to be, but Ten could only thank whatever deity was in the skies for having allowed him to experience it, even if it had been just that one time.

“You should have done this years ago,” Kun said then, his breath fanning over Ten’s lips, their foreheads pressed close. He was panting slightly, and Ten couldn’t contain the smile that spread over his face.

“I’m sorry.”

“You better be. And you better be back so that we can make up for all the time lost,” Kun added. His words stung, but Ten nodded, determined.

“I will.”

“Great. Now go, before it’s too late. We’ve already wasted too much time,” Kun pushed him forward, towards the hallway that spiraled into darkness, away from the castle. “There’s a door that will lead you out, it looks like it’s closed, but I left it unlocked this morning. You’ll only have to push and you’ll be free,” Ten turned around to peer into the dark corridor. His fingers itched to hold Kun one last time, but he knew that wouldn’t be wise. “Be careful,” Kun said to his back when Ten took the first step forward.

“You too,” Ten turned to take one last look at Kun, shooting him a brief smile before he advanced towards the darkness.

He stopped at the first corner and waited until he heard Kun’s steps fade, before continuing his journey.

It was way too dark for him to see, and his eyes took some time to adjust to the lack of light, but finally he made it to the end of the hallway and to the door Kun had spoken of. It took Ten three tries before his weakened body was able to push the door open but once he managed to do it, he was greeted by fresh air, and an almost full moon looking down at him.

Ten allowed himself a smile, a brief moment of relax, before he had to start thinking of his exit route.

He didn’t notice it until it was too late, the body that crept away from the castle, a shadow in the night that snuck up to him.

Ten felt the sudden warmth behind him, the only signal his magic gave him that he wasn’t alone, before something heavy connected with his head and everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is all for today. I hope you've enjoyed it and make sure to ask any questions you may have about the story so far. Hopefully, I'll be back with another chapter soon enough.  
> Kudos and comments warm my heart.
> 
> [Blood moon playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6vtgk0yRg9WRedZzP0JaWS) || [tw](https://twitter.com/monstaruniverse) || [cc](https://curiouscat.me/Val_99)
> 
> \- Val


End file.
